Locker Soccer Academy

If you’ve got young kids who are interested in soccer, I can’t recommend this place enough! The staff is not only knowledgable about soccer, but about early childhood education. The coaches know just how to get each child involved and feeling confident and successful. My daughter who is (not quite) 2 takes a class where each child is partnered with an adult. My son, age 3 (almost 4) has taken for about a year in a class where parents watch from across a wall. And not just any wall, I might add. I totally appreciate that it’s a clear half wall, so my littlest one can watch her big brother and has learned so much, and the top half is netting to keep the balls safely on the field but let parents talk with their kids. I know mine needed some encouragement in the beginning. The field itself is artificial turn and indoors. The facility has adequate heating, but gets very hot in the summer with a/​c, so there are large garage doors that can open and let in a breeze. Temperature aside, I appreciate that it’s indoors because they can never get rained out. And in fact in the winter, they seem to never get snowed out either!
Class begins with a personalized roll-​call, a little chat with the coach, and a warm-​up freeze game. They do organized stretching and learn gross motor coordination and balance. Next, the kiddos run through an agility drill, get a water break (they get so excited for this!!), do an aerobic drill, (more water!!) and finish up with a game of sharks and minnows.
My son isn’t always comfortable doing activities in group sessions without his parents, but the coaches really knew how to make him comfortable. Now he’s so excited for soccer every week and participates happily and confidently!

This is a pretty bare bones place. Not nearly enough places for parents to sit, but it’s a really good program for kids. They love it, and that’s really what it is about. They have some great instructors that seem to care about the kids. I highly recommend it.