SRU Junior Academy - U8 Program Expansion
Two U8 choices, with professional coaches, for 2012 playing season:
- Team registration - 9 month season with breaks in-between
- Flexible six-week sessions – multiple sessions throughout the year
Hello,
My name is Josh Sterling, I am the General Manger at Santa Rosa United (SRU) and I’m responsible for the development and improvement of the SRU U8 boys and girls program (JR Academy).
Our aim at SRU is to provide soccer teams and programs designed for all ages and coached by professionals. We are proud to provide you two options at the U8 age group. This comes about after many discussions with parents, coaches, and players in hopes of developing the options that provide the most complete, flexible, affordable, enjoyable, and skills based soccer program in all of Sonoma County.
For our entire Academy age band we will offer the following programs for 2012 playing season:
Kickers Academy – U6 and below (born after August 1st 2006)
Junior Academy – U7 and U8 (born between August 1st, 2004 and July 31st, 2006)
- Option #1: Academy Team – 9 month team program with appropriate breaks
- Option #2: Flexible 6 week program – multiple sessions throughout the year
SRU Academy – U9’s to U11’s (born between August 1st, 2001 and July 31st, 2004)
Both JR Academy options will offer the following:
- Professional Coaching – all sessions and games will be held with a professional SRU coach
- Skill Focus – Every practice session will provide psycho motor and skill development with a keen focus on individual development. Practice and games will be challenging but not overwhelming and they will be lots of fun!
- Fun, friendly, and professional environment
- Both options are very affordable
- Some of the best fields in Northern California
I hope that you will join me by enrolling in our JR Academy so that in can first hand demonstrate the difference that SRU can make to your child’s soccer experience.
Kind regards,
Josh Sterling
SRU General Manager
Contact Information:
Girls Coach: Jon Schwan – Email: jon_schwan@yahoo.com – Phone: 707-695-8576
Boys Coach: Martin Perez – Email: martinperez@fico.com – Phone: 415-299-0002
Flexible Program: Patti Johnson – Email: jazzergirl@comcast.net – Phone: 707-484-2281
Junior Academy has the following features:
Option 1# Academy Team:
- Separate teams for boys and girls – each team will have a maximum of 15 players
- Season starts April 2nd – Plenty of time to register and get ready to have lots of fun! Players will be allowed to join a team after tryouts provided that space exists, players might be placed on a waiting list at the discretion of the team administrators
- No need to join a Recreational league – The JR Academy team will play in a competitive Fall League in and around Santa Rosa.
- Continuity – get the same professional coach and the same teammates for the entire year
- Low Fees – Only $600 for the entire year – $150 registration fee and nine monthly $50 payments - one fee covers EVERYTHING, including uniform!!!
- Local competition - Most games will be played in and around Santa Rosa
- Limited travel – Travel will be limited to a few times a year and it will be no more than 90 miles away
- Professional Coaching – all practices and games will be held with a professional SRU coach
Option 2# Flexible 6 Week Program
- Flexible six-week option has the following features:
- Flexibility – Attend all sessions, or just one, we kept this option flexible to fit the lifestyle of those for which the 9 month team option in not optimal
- Multiple six-week sessions – conveniently arranged throughout the year, allowing players to take time off from soccer for family vacation, and other sports
- Low Fees – we kept this option very affordable at only $75 per session, plus a onetime $24 registration fee
- Two sessions per week – maximum of 15 players per coach, per session
- Flexible timeslots – multiple timeslot will be offered as dictated by the number of participants
- No tryouts – get the skills now to be selected later to our prestigious Academy teams.
- Availability to join a Fall Rec League – Flexibility to join Rec program outside of SRU
- Bonus games – prizes – skill development competitions
Session dates (others will be added in the summer and fall):
Session #1 – March 27 – May 3
Session #2 – May 15 – June 21
What we will teach
We hope to build the foundation that our young players can grow on. In the JR Academy we will be teaching the core skills needed to develop a love for soccer. We believe that maximum touches on the ball are the most important aspect of any training and we will encourage this as much as possible. These early soccer years can be the most crucial for skill development as we teach muscle memory movements, proper technique and most importantly, the freedom the express yourself on the soccer field-allowing the players to make their own decisions and find solutions to challenges on the field.
Technique: ball manipulation and mastery including, 1v1 movements, passing, receiving, shielding and decision-making skills.
Psychology: Working in pairs; sportsmanship; parental involvement; “how to play”; emotional management.
Coordination: agility; eye/foot and eye/ hand coordination; introduce the idea of cool-down; movement education
Individual and small group tactics: Being exposed to all positions; 1v1 attack; introduce positions, rules and individual and small group tactics.
