Dates: April 16th – May 21st, 2023
Times: Sunday 3:00 – 4:30, Wednesday/Thursday 5:30 – 7:00
Registration closes: March 31, 2023
Location: Aumsville Elementary School
Cost: $70
CYS is happy to announce its first-ever “academy” for the spring season. This is going to be much different than our traditional fall season, so please read this and ask any questions you may have. The “academy” will mainly focus on soccer skills and individual development. We have teamed up with Coerver coaches and a licensed personal trainer to ensure that our youth receive top-notch professional training. This will be a new experience for all of us, and as it is the first year, there may be a few bumps along the way. There will be no teams assigned. Instead, we will start with three groups based on age and, if needed, move players around to ensure they are equally matched with their peers.
The schedule may be inconvenient for some of you, but I will attempt to explain CYS’s reasoning. First and foremost, spring is traditionally not soccer season in Cougar country. However, I personally believe strongly in our youth participating in multiple sports. Therefore, the hope is that the offered schedule can allow those who desire to play multiple sports to do so (you can find me at the softball fields on non-soccer nights). CYS will have three training’s a week on Sunday afternoons and Wednesday/Thursday evenings for six weeks. The Sunday practice will be when Coerver coaches introduce us to the curriculum. The Wednesday/Thursday will be a reiteration of the previous Sunday’s practice with volunteer CYS coaches. The idea is that no other sports are participating on Sunday, so our youth are hopefully free to learn from the professionals. If they are able to make one (or two) of the weekday training, bonus!
The final Sunday will be CYS’s 3v3 Cougar Cub Clash. I hope the kids will have opportunities during the Wednesday/Thursday training to get used to the 3v3 format and that parents find it a fun and exciting rendition of the game.
Another change from the fall season is that we are asking all participants to come to training with their own ball. This is for a couple of reasons. One, since there are no team coaches, I do not have a big enough car to carry all the necessary balls. Two, this is about growing the skills of the individual. Therefore, any additional time that they can practice repetition at home would be huge. The recommended ball sizes for each age group are listed on our website. If you do not wish to buy a ball, one can be borrowed from CYS with a refundable $20 deposit.
Please note that parents interested in coaching in the fall are more than welcome to attend the sessions to see what is being taught. Even if you don’t have a participant signed up, feel free to stop by on Sunday to see what Coerver is teaching! Also, signing up as an assistant for the Wednesday/Thursday nights will be a no-stress way to jump in.
If a league-based team for the spring is your thing, then I highly encourage Mid Valley Soccer Club or Capitol Futbol Club, both of which have recreational spring seasons.
Thank you all for considering CYS’s new spring academy. We believe this is a great opportunity for our youth and hope many take us up on the offering.
David Moehl, CYS President