A Teacher’s Summer
There’s just one week left of summer.
Now, that may seem like an odd time to start a soccer coaching & fitness blog, but sometimes things don’t need to make sense to anyone but the person doing it. I’ve been out there coaching every week this past summer, and prior to that I was completing additional qualifications and teaching small children every day. Finally using my old teaching certifications and stepping foot in a classroom has been a wonderful and challenging experience.
The great thing about being a teacher in Canada is that we have summers “off.” Now, that’s not to say we relax all summer. There’s prep for the next school year and summer courses to explore. For example, I obtained my Primary ABQ in July, which means I can now teach anything from Kindergarten through Grade 10.
I also took the opportunity to coach grassroots soccer for my 4th year.
This past summer, I worked for Summer FC. This organization runs soccer skills games for small kids, from 3-7 years old. Initially established in Alberta, they run summer-long sessions from Yukon through Newfoundland. While they aren’t involved in leagues, the sessions help prepare small children to step on the field with confidence as they learn basic passing, shooting, trapping, tackling, and shielding.
It’s important to note that Summer FC is not a Canada Soccer affiliated organization. They operate their own development program and are meant as a supplement or alternative to the more typical clubs that may not be entirely suitable for all children. Think of it as a step between a community centre’s summer or evening program and a local soccer club.
There’s nothing wrong with a community centre program or with a local club. I’ve worked with the later previously, and my children have attended both in the past (and will again in the future). Programs like Summer FC (modestly paid college-aged coaches) and Little Kickers (near minimum wage, high-school & college coaches) provide alternatives that may be a better fit for some players (and coaches).
In addition to coaching with Summer FC, I also have my children over the summer months. Day camps are quite pricey, so it makes more sense to stay home with them. We bike, have our own family soccer practices (in addition to their summer leagues), and spend a lot of time in local swimming pools. Tack on my personal fitness program, and it remains a very busy time of year.
I'll go into more details for some of this in future articles. I plan to share some of my personal fitness plans as well as some of the coaching plans, tips & tricks that I've learned over the years. I haven't decided on a posting schedule (yet), but once I get a rhythm going, readers can count on regular additions.