Locker Elite Soccer Club

r. Mission Statement
Our mission is to maximize each individual child’s potential for growing confidence and self esteem. We will provide a fun environment that allows children to progress at their unique developmental stage, by placing them at the appropriate level of competition. Philosophy
We believe that the largest part of our effort should be directed towards ball skill development. With this approach, we feel we have the best chance of allowing children to fall in love with the game, and thereby allow them the greatest opportunity to stay in the game. My vast experience in the game, both domestically and abroad, allows me to have a perspective unequalled by most coaches in our country. Our children will become highly self motivated; moving forward in a manner that will greatly diminish the chance of burn out. We will develop children who can make good decisions on their own, and they will be highly capable of progressing from club soccer, to high school soccer, to college soccer….and maybe (for those special few) to professional soccer. A large part of our effort will be directed towards, not only soccer skills, but interpersonal skills as well. By design, we make a very conscientious effort at developing strong, long term friendships with our players and families. Soccer is a game that is a wonderful teacher. Players learn a ton…just by playing. Too many coaches feel the need to over coach. Left alone, you will see your children make incredible strides. The beauty of this is that these lessons carry over into many aspects of their daily lives. Our children will become more independent thinkers, more confident, more decisive….and probably most importantly….more creative. The Model
• All teams will be led by Locker Soccer Certified Parent Coaches.
• All training will be done by Locker Soccer Professional Staff.
• Certified Parent Coaches will attend a coaching education program directed by Steve Locker.
• All Parents will attend a Parent Education seminar.
• Teams will receive team training in groups of two (2) teams, once per week.
• Teams will also be offered ‘optional’ skill training once per week.
• Typically, teams will play about 8 games per season, followed by a league tournament.
• Specialized team training and positional training will be offered periodically throughout the season.
• Teams will be offered in the U8, U9, U10, U11, and U12 age groups…for boys and girls. Age Groups

U8-U9: This group will play in a localized league, 10 players per team, 6 versus 6 games. Special attention will be paid to the task of meeting all teammate requests….we want friends to be grouped with friends. An overall assessment of each team will be made for the purpose of placing each team at the appropriate level of competition. U10: At this stage, we will begin forming teams based on ability and development. It is still 10 players per team, still 6 vs. 6 games. We will offer two levels of play….advanced and developmental. Locker Soccer Elite will NOT offer A, B, or C teams. It is extremely important to understand the “why” and “how” of this program. The How….a playing assessment will be conducted to help determine at which level a child is best suited. The Why….this goes back to our mission of providing the appropriate level of competition for each child. By placing a child who is not ready for a higher level of competition into an intense game, we are setting that child up for failure. The game becomes too fast, and it passes them by. They actually end up losing confidence. Conversely, if we place children in the appropriate level, they then have the opportunity to take on more responsibility, and develop that confidence and self esteem that is so important, and they get to do it at their developmental stage…not someone else’s. U11 & U12: These teams play 8 versus 8 and should consist of 12 players per team. Like U 10, both advanced and developmental teams will be formed. Below are some quotes from parents who were asked to describe their experience with Locker Soccer:
“What makes Locker Soccer different is the philosophy.” “It’s about the love of playing…about the learning of a lifestyle.” It’s about child development; pacing activity with the physical, emotional, and mental stages of development.” “It’s the fun, wildly fun stuff!” “The game is the teacher.” “It’s the friends for the kids and the parents.” “It’s a yearlong plan for health, fitness, fun, and soccer—helps parents not to have to worry about this.” “It’s about Parent Education, Parent Coaching Education, it’s fun for parents, building relationships.” “At Locker Soccer, it’s not about winning the game, it’s about winning at life.” “Skills for relationships, fun, and for a lifetime.”

Frequently Asked Topics:
• Locker Soccer Elite will stress localized play and minimize travel.
• Emphasize 50% playing time for all players.
• Prioritize keeping friends together on teams whenever possible. This becomes more challenging as players move into older age groups and team selection is based on ability and development. Losing
Ideally, in the developmental process, we want our children to experience both winning and losing. Learning how to win is a skill that must be learned through experience. Once a team learns how to be successful, the journey takes on a new adventure that is fun for everyone. At this point, our next challenge is to step up the competition and begin the journey again. In my professional coaching career, I was very fortunate to have had lots of success. I have always felt that success was the result of hard work and doing all of the little things correctly. With these children, I am supremely confident that our approach will ultimately lead to great success. As parents, we must be patient and allow the process to work. If you are a parent that is looking for an intensive developmental program that will fast-track your child to a higher level, this program is probably not the best fit for you.