Tickets are only $20 each (over 50% off) and INCLUDE TWO HOURS OF TRAINING WITH THE GALAXY COACHING STAFF! Friends of LASA and Soccer Shots are welcome to join us!

Please see the attached file for additional details. Email losangeles@soccershots.org for ticket purchasing details. Payment and contact info must be sent to Soccer Shots by March 28, 2012. OFFER EXTENDED TO FRIDAY, APRIL 6. Please call us at (310) 857-6560 with your name, phone number, and mailing address. We will also need for you to mail us a check (made out to Los Angeles Soccer Academy) to:
Soccer Shots
8055 West Manchester Avenue
Suite 310
Playa Del Rey, CA 90293

In addition to the LA Galaxy and LASA coaches, our very own Coach Alyssa, Coach Lindsey, and Coach Amanda will be at the training! Also, owners Rian and Alyssa Heim, Assistant Director Ali Lawson, and Lead Coach Andy Baena will be at the game! Come out to say hi, let the kids play, and enjoy the Galaxy vs. Timbers!!

“It’s about building the whole child. Soccer is just the hook.”

-Shellie Pfohl, Executive Director, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition

Check out our video HERE of Jason Webb, Soccer Shots Partner and Co-Founder, speaking to Dominique Lee, Founder & Executive Director of Avon Avenue Elementary School, about the exciting news!

If you are like me, you are already starting to find things for your kids to do over the holidays. Well add this to your calendar!!!

Soccer Shots is hosting a FREE soccer class for 3-5 year olds at the following parks:

Be sure to register online to reserve your spot.

CLICK TO REGISTER:
Valley Park (Hermosa Beach) – Thursday, December 15th 3:15pm – 4:15pm
(Find us towards the back of the park.)

CLICK TO REGISTER:
Hazeltine Park (Sherman Oaks/Van Nuys) – Saturday, December 17th 9:30am-10:30am
(Find us on the east-side of the park off Hazeltine Ave.)

CLICK TO REGISTER:
Culver West Park (Culver City) – Wednesday, December 21st 3:30pm-4:30pm
(Small park, you can’t miss us.)

If you haven’t played soccer with us before or you are a regular in the Soccer Shots family, come out and join us! And invite your friends as well!

Check out our blog and website for more info on our program: www.soccershotslosangeles.org and www.soccershots.org/losangeles

And “like” us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/soccershotslosangeles

See you at the park!

Review from Michelle M. in Echo Park:

My mantra as a mom is to expose my son (now 3) to everything life has to offer – from museums, a variety of music, different people and languages, etc.

It’s about encouraging a well rounded and secure relationship to the world around him, and ultimately, to empower him to chose what he enjoys in life.

So as he turned 3, I felt the next logical step was to enroll him in team sports… what better way to learn about working with others, burn off toddler energy and enjoy the outdoors? My ideal was soccer, but there were no options in my area (Echo Park). That’s when I came across Soccer Shots.

They were pretty much the only soccer group that focused specifically on the 3-5 year old set… but even they hadn’t yet spread to the East Side. I contacted them anyway and long story short – they decided to donate a community outreach grant to my son’s preschool (10 sessions for the fall season!!!). I was shocked and thrilled … what a great way to build community!!

My son and his school mates have been going to soccer weekly now for about 5 weeks. He’s more agile and is learning to direct his energies. He’s starting to grasp the idea of team (a hard one for a 3 year old) and likes to talk about his scrimmages and how he and his buddies worked together.

He looks forward to every Tuesday AM (the weekly session) and I look forward to his evening breakdown of the day as it inevitably features something new Coach David has taught them (dribbling, balancing, passing) the thrill of a goal he’s scored, or praise for a buddy who did the same.

Soccer Shots is one part of the overall balance we seek for our son. In a city with such a strong focus on the individual, Soccer Shots provides an early lesson on the importance of working together, self-discipline and the fun that comes from physical activity.

We can’t thank Soccer Shots enough for all their efforts and support – all the parents are thrilled. And while we were fortunate enough to be awarded the community grant, the overall costs are well worth it.

We’ll definitely be signing up next season. Yay for soccer shots coming to the East Side!!

If you’re like me, a typical week for you might include a couple of evening soccer practices at a nearby township park, dinner out with the family, carpooling in your minivan, and Saturday morning soccer games. The games where my kids play are held on grass fields which are lined and include goals. We have coaches and paid officials, concessions and public bathrooms, and our parks department or club provide these amenities at a low cost.

This is not anyone’s typical week in Newark, NJ, a city just a few miles west of New York City known by many for its airport or its infamous riots in 1966. In fact, it would be unsafe to bring your children to a public park in the evening in many locations in Newark. Safer locations are fenced and gated. Few recreation departments have the resources to provide soccer fields. Even fewer offer community soccer programs.

Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in the great work of the US Soccer Foundation by installing a Sport Court soccer field on the property of Avon Avenue Elementary School in Newark, NJ.

Avon Avenue Elementary School is located in the one of the most difficult wards in all of Newark, NJ and until recently, had recorded the lowest test scores of any school in the city. For these reasons, it has gained the attention of several organizations, including the US Soccer Foundation (USSF).

The USSF creates and supports programs which are designed to keep kids active and healthy. They guide children away from negative influences by providing them with safe and healthy places to play after school – the most dangerous hours of the day. Players receive attention and support from caring mentors and coaches who work to ensure that they develop into healthy and successful young adults.

The Foundation is working to build safe playing fields and bring their “Soccer For Success” model to economically disadvantaged communities nationwide.

Through the generosity of a donation made to the USSF by Soccer Shots Global Goals, a safe playing surface has been constructed on the playground at Avon Avenue Elementary. This new court will host an after school soccer education program led by the Claudia Reyna Foundation and will include year-round, daily soccer programs offered to Avon Avenue Elementary students after school. For most of the kids who will participate in this program, it will be their first experience ever playing soccer.

As a representative of the Soccer Shots franchise community, which so generously contributed to the construction of this court, it was my privilege to represent Soccer Shots last week during the construction of this court. We started constructing the court in the morning and by early afternoon, the court was nearly complete. It’s an 85 foot long by 55 foot wide safe playing surface which will have lines and goals. Apparently, this surface is ideal for many sports (tennis, volleyball, etc.) but found its place in soccer as the official surface for futsal. In urban locations, it’s virtually impossible to maintain grass playing surfaces, and artificial turf is cost-prohibitive at nearly 6 times the cost of a Sport Court. According to the USSF, constructing this court on Avon Avenue’s property will allow for maintenance, protection, and daily use of the surface through the USSF and its partners. The court will be the property of the school’s, and it may be used for other activities during and after school.

The best part of the day happened around 1:30pm. The field was near complete and a group of older kids (must have been around 12 years old) were out on the school yard. They were eyeing us up, tip-toeing on the field, and peppering us with questions about the field. One wanted know if it could be used for football. Others mentioned, “If it’s for soccer, is someone coming back to teach us how to play?” That was all we needed to hear. The 5 of us representing Soccer Shots and the USSF got out a bag of soccer balls and starting playing soccer with the kids right there on the court we had just installed. We taught a few of the older boys how to juggle and head back and forth. When the school bell rang, those boys were still practicing, didn’t want to leave, and were the last ones back into the school.

I consider it a privilege to be a coach and to impact kids positively here in my local community. I also consider it an honor and a privilege to share resources and to support the excellent work of the US Soccer Foundation in Newark, NJ and in other cities throughout the United States.

In 2009 Soccer Shots’ Global Goals, a non-profit organization, was born out of a vision that our soccer communities could band together and provide growth and opportunities to disadvantaged children. Through the “Beautiful Game” we want to reach out to children across the USA to create a healthy, productive environment in which kids can play, learn and develop.

We have partnered with the U.S. Soccer Foundation who’s goal is to provide affordable access to quality soccer programs that support children’s physical and personal development. The U.S. Soccer Foundation’s programs are designed to keep kids active and healthy.

They guide children away from negative influences by providing them with safe and healthy places to play after school – the most dangerous hours of the day.

Players receive attention and support from caring mentors and coaches who work to ensure that they develop into healthy and successful young adults. The foundation is working to build safe playing fields and bring the “Soccer For Success” model to economically disadvantaged communities nationwide.

Soccer Shots has embraced this cause. To that end, our Soccer Shots Los Angeles has committed to donating a portion of your child’s registration fee to the Global Goals/U.S. Soccer Foundation’s efforts to construct playing surfaces within various cities throughout the U.S.

Thank you for signing your child up for Soccer Shots and for your support of the Global Goals campaign! Every child should have a place to play, a place to learn, and a place to grow!

Announcements:

• Congratulations to Playgroup Echo Park, recipient of the 2011 Community Outreach Award. They will receive 10 FREE SESSIONS this fall. For more info about our 2012 award, please email losangeles.soccershots.org.

• Our Fall Season starts this week! Contact your school to see if Soccer Shots is already a provider of fine games and good time! Otherwise, please let us know you’re interested! We’ll contact your school and set up a FREE DEMONSTRATION for the kids!

• The Soccer Shots Los Angeles office is now located at: 8055 West Manchester Avenue, Suite 310, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293. Phone: (310) 857-6560 Email: losangeles@soccershots.org

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Parents are constantly asking us to refer a soccer program as a “next step” for their child beyond Soccer Shots. These parents believe in our philosophy of offering a non-competitive, high energy, fun, age-appropriate introduction to the wonderful game of soccer and trust our experience and values. There are typically two reasons that parents ask us for our recommendation:

1) Their child is graduating from preschool where Soccer Shots is being offered and they want their child to continue with soccer OR

2) They are a fan of our program but their child is too old for our program which primarily serves 3-5 year olds.

Because of this we have been seeking a partnership with a local soccer academy that matches our philosophy. I am pleased to say that we have found the right match. “The Los Angeles Soccer Academy believes in technical development over the current trend of winning-at-all-cost found in many youth programs. We are dedicated to reversing the kick-and-run approach used to attract families and generate revenue at the sacrifice of player development… These are the years we want our children to play with confidence and control…”

In addition to the LASA programs for U6 and up, Soccer Shots will now be offering our program at the Los Angeles Soccer Academy by offering the 3-6 year old program.

The following is an excerpt from losangelessoccer.org:

What makes the Los Angeles Soccer Academy different?

At most youth clubs, if a child does not make the team he is left with only recreational options such as AYSO. At LASA we don’t marginalize children who are not ready for the club level. We place them into our academy program so they can train alongside our club team and develop the skills needed to eventually reach their goals. Each player has an opportunity to play on one of our club teams when ready, or play in our academy to attain the skills needed to reach the competitive level. We also start our services at 3 years-old, to give every child a head start through our affiliate program, Soccer Shots. We firmly believe when you nurture the love for the game first at this early age, the skills will follow.

DEVELOPMENT FIRST!

We are dedicated to development over winning-at-all-cost. We are a possession-minded academy and club. We do not subscribe to the kick-and-run game played in many youth leagues across the US and England. We combine the possession principles of Spain, the 4v4 foundations of Holland, the flair and creativity of Brazil, and the determination, hustle and pride of US soccer.

In addition to developing individual skills, our USSF licensed coaches also teach principals of shape, teamwork, attack, vision, penetration, support, mobility, width, improvisation, pressure, cover, balance, delay, compactness, restraint and the counter-attack. At the end of every practice we incorporate match free-play to insure we allow the game to teach our players. All of our practices are founded on simple soccer, played smart.

The Los Angeles Soccer Academy offers multiple program options:

Soccer Shots (Ages 3-6)
This is an exciting introduction to soccer for 3, 4, 5 and 6 year-olds, with a focus on nurturing a creative environment through engaging and fun practices. Our partners, SOCCER SHOTS will provide all the fun, in keeping with the LASA Mission Statement and Philosophy. Graduates from the Soccer Shots program can then advance into our U6-U8 program with confidence and a developed set of skills. This program runs one day a week. Practices are held on LASA fields alongside our other programs. To register for Soccer Shots, click on your age group here: 3-4 Year Olds | 5-6 Year Olds

U6-U8 Academy
This is the second stage of development for ages 6, 7 & 8. This is for players who have shown progress at the recreational level (AYSO) or at an introductory program such as SOCCER SHOTS. This is a fun but challenging training program to help younger players realize their potential and help them develop the skills needed to reach the club level. All players will be taught through guided discovery by NSCAA and USSF licensed coaches. Our focus in this age group will be on dribbling, control, creativity, confidence and fun! This is also an excellent supplement for club or AYSO players looking to add additional technical development into to their season. This program runs two days a week.

U9, U10, U11, U12 Academy
Academy players in U9-U12 train alongside our club teams of the same age groups. This is an excellent opportunity for players to bridge the gap between AYSO and competitive club-level soccer. Our goal is to help players develop and integrate into our club system. This is the first step on that journey. To join one of our club teams instead, please contact coach Alveraz for try-out opportunities and details: info@losangelessoccer.org.

On September 13, 2011 Soccer Shots will kick off the first of ten weeks of soccer and fun where each week around 20 children will experience the fun and excitement of Soccer Shots at PLAYGROUP! In addition to our Global Goals pledge, Soccer Shots Los Angeles seeks to give back to the local community in the form of the SSCOA which provides soccer at deserving schools in the community at no cost to the school or parents for an entire season. Each year we plan to give up to $10,000 of Soccer Shots! If you are interested in applying for a future SSCOA, please email losangeles(a)soccershots.org.

PLAYGROUP’s mission is to provide quality, affordable childcare for working families, and to promote children’s emotional, social and intellectual development in a safe and caring environment.

PLAYGROUP joins with families to prepare children for school and community life. PLAYGROUP values and teaches non-violence, cooperation, cultural diversity and the worth of all people.

Tell us HOW Soccer Shots would benefit your children and WHY your school/site/program is deserving of the 2011 Soccer Shots Community Outreach Award.
We have a diverse parent and student base (economic, cultural, professional, etc.) that is likewise representative of our community as a whole.  And one of our main goals as a school is to build community among parents, neighbors and the children themselves.  

Soccer – as an energetic team sport – would be a true physical manifestation of working together – a fundamental of community building.

We also happen to be a modest school – small grounds and a student body of about 38.  The soccer camp would provide an opportunity to organize the children to a weekly trip to the nearby Elysian Park (where we would hold the soccer lessons).  Again, providing the opportunity for community building, locale awareness and downright fun!!

Many of our families are from low and modest incomes.  Enrolling in a soccer camp just isn’t possible in addition to preschool enrollment.  We’re also a non-profit school that has relied heavily on state grants in order to function.  With the past state budget cuts, we’ve steadily lost funding and as of this year, have to rely almost exclusively on enrollment fees.  To have the opportunity to expose children to a sport is a goal, but financially not possible at this time.

Finally – we’re eager to receive the award primarily because of all the greatness that comes with soccer.  

Team building, exposure to physical education and activity, parent involvement (parents would jump at watching their kids run after the ball!!) and a glimpse at physical and mental discipline.

 We really hope you consider us for your award.  We’d love to start the school year in September with the great opportunity of a fall soccer camp.

- Michelle M. (Parent at PLAYGROUP)

Those of us who love soccer and want to introduce our children to the “Beautiful Game” often are hard pressed to do so.

Mark Zeigler of The San Diego Union Tribune observes Soccer Culture here and around the world as such,

“Kids everywhere else grow up living, breathing, dreaming soccer. Here, kids in the suburbs go to regimented practice twice a week, play a game in front of screaming parents on the weekend and that’s it. No soccer on TV. No pickup games on the neighborhood vacant lot, honing their skills on a bumpy dirt field while dribbling around cinder blocks and tree roots.”

It’s up to us to get them excited about the game!

This is one of our goals at Soccer Shots!

We create a fun, non-competitive atmosphere to introduce your children, ages 3-8 to the wonderful world of soccer!

We incorporate games they already know such as freeze tag, duck-duck-goose, red light green light, keep away and incorporate them with soccer skills such as dribbling, passing and scoring goals. We encourage them to use their imagination and dribble as fast as rabbits or as slow as turtles or be spacemen exploring new planets, collecting space rocks.
Here are some sources and events that will introduce our youth to Soccer Culture in the United States:

Watch the games on TV (Fox Soccer Channel, ESPN, GOLTV, etc). America has Major League Soccer (MLS), England has Barclays Premier League, Italy, South America, etc.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup is now playing from June 26 – July 17 in Germany. Team USA already won their first match against North Korea 2-0!

JULY – Several Club Friendly Games are being played all over the United States in Seattle, Washington DC, Chicago and right here in Los Angeles. Our own LA Galaxy is hosting Real Madrid on July 16th and Manchester City on July 24th! Here’s a great chance to catch Soccer Fever! For a full soccer schedule online or tv, click here.

Check out our Soccer Shots’ Fall School and Park Programs (park schedule will be announced on Facebook)! It’s a great skills program that compliments AYSO and other City and Club Programs!

See ya on the field!