SPA Cubs
Small Steps, Giant Leaps
SPA Cubs is designed as the first step in any child’s sporting life (or career!). Here, our kids are introduced gently to the basics of football and athletics, with emphasis on foundational techniques such as kicking, running, dribbling and other basic skills. Through these weekly lessons, they will also develop their overall fitness in elements such as balance and control while also developing social and emotional skills through their interactions with their new friends!
Parents are also required to join their kids in the course, as we find that children at this young age will need an anchor or support to help process the new environment they’re in. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to bond with your kid and other parents who are part of your child’s journey.
Speaking of parents, the number one question we get from themis: How do you teach children that young to play football?” Simply put, we put fun first and just play! At these ages, all you need is to get them going for them to be physically well. All training will be held indoors and with child-friendly equipment to create a safe and controlled environment suited for a young child’s play and the exploration of their budding talents!
Lessons are also delivered to appeal to the young child’s hunger for wonder and storytelling! Our coaches collaborate with child development specialists to produce lesson plans that are suited to younger children of these formational ages. Each session is run with a weekly theme and is integrated with elements of reception-level cognitive curriculum such as numbers, exploration, and colour identification. This way, a child develops physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally in a fun and active environment.
Note: Parents must participate in our SPA Cubs sessions.
How It’s Done
• Every session is led by fully qualified coaches.
• Weekly classes of 40 minutes each
• Every new starter will be given a bag and a football kit
• Parents must participate in our SPA Cubs sessions.
The expected behaviour and skills of the children during their participation is as below:
| Developmental Area | Expected Traits / Skills |
|---|---|
| Football Specific | • Capable of basic, one paced kicking • Can maintain the stop positions with support • Frequently unable to dribble the ball with any kind of control • Quickly learns to enjoy scoring goals |
| Physical | • May struggle with balance and coordination • New to many types of movement (e.g. running, jumping) |
| Social, Emotional, & Cognitive | • Short attention span, erratic participation • Needs assistance throughout session • At times, will get frustrated at lack of understanding during sessions • Lack of awareness of other’s actions |
Quick Note:
As much as we’re ready to get the ball going, we know that some kidsmay be shy to get too involved in their sessions at first, so don’t feel obligated to rush into things even as parent. We’ll work with you and your kids to get a feel for what works for each individual and build on their confidence from there.
For a young child this will be a huge change to what they’re used to, complete with many new people and a completely new environment. So, let’s go slow and take our time in getting them to warm up and be comfortable in this new environment.