MetroStars Community Camps are designed for young players ages 2 to 15. They target both the recreational and competitive player and offer a one-of-a-kind age and skill specific curriculum. Read on to see why the MetroStars Community Camp is much, much more than just another soccer camp.

Listed below is information regarding the five programs by age groups.

Programs Available 

A. Mini Wee: Ages 2 – 4 years
B. Munchkins: Ages 5 – 6 years 
C. Nippers: Ages 7 – 8 years 
D. Intermediates: Ages 9 – 11 years
E. Advanced: Ages 12 – 14 years 

A. Mini Wee Program Details: 

Ages: 2 – 4 years 

Program Length: Mondays – Fridays, 45 minutes a day

PROGRAM OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS: 

The Mini-Wee curriculum was created to give young children and their parents the opportunity to experience the beauty inherent in the great game of soccer. The games we have created provide opportunities for challenge, stimulation, success and sheer fun. Each game is designed with the spirit of cooperation and collaboration in mind. Patience is needed in both coaches and participants to learn this new form of play, particularly if the participants have never played soccer before. However, with appropriate supervision and guidance from coach and parents, and repeated exposure and appropriate challenges, the child’s experience will be very positive. You will see an incredible transformation over the course of a week.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW FOR PLAYERS: 

Have lots of fun learning about soccer with your mom or dad, and "have a ball"... just like the Big Kids!

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES: 

All soccer activities are based on fun games and stories of favorite cartoon and fairytale characters

B. Munchkin Program Details 

Ages: 5 – 6 years 

Program Length: Mondays – Fridays, 90 minutes a day

PROGRAM OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS: 

Children at this age are just beginning to see structure to games. If you are not a parent yourself, sit down and watch a group of five and six year olds organize themselves into a cooperative game. Activities are always versatile and flexible and adhere to a set of rules (or rather non rules), which do not necessarily need to be strictly adhered to. This is the basic premise behind the Munchkin curriculum. The activities are structured but left open to interpretation. Competition is friendly and low-key. This frees the child to experience the joy of playing the game itself. 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW FOR PLAYERS: 

Learn about soccer through fun and games in a safe, playful learning environment.

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES: 

Activation Time (warm-games that involve dodging, diving, ducking and twisting), Fun & Games (activities that teach the fundamentals of the game in a non-competitive environment), Mini Munchkin Match (small-sided games), Massive Munchkin Match (all participants in a regular scrimmage game)

C. Nippers Program Details 

Ages: 7 – 8 years 

Program Length: Mondays – Fridays, 3 hours a day

PROGRAM OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS: 

Between the ages of 7 and 8, players begin to develop specific, identifiable sub-sets of soccer traits during a single week of camp:
* Stopping the ball, cushioning it on impact, thus rendering it more manageable
* Maintaining solo possession, dribbling at one speed but with some thought to change of direction
* Confronting an opponent and take the ball away from them by tackling
* Beginning to grasp the elementary foundations of concepts like space, support play, combinations and the indirect approach to goal
* Focusing on power over accuracy in shooting on goal
* Soccer, and a condensed soccer experience such as that experienced during a camp week, is attractive to children at this age

PROGRAM OVERVIEW FOR PLAYERS: 

Learn basic soccer techniques through small-sided play as part of fun, interactive games with other kids your own age.

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES: Soccer-Robics (warm-up activities with and without a ball), Turns and Burns (fast footwork), Skillzbuilders (skills and techniques based on the theme of the day), Netbusters (small-sided conditioned games around a goal), Backyard Soccer (games based on street game mentality), the Big Game (small-sided conditioned games developed to free play), Warm Down (song, dance, movement activity)

D. Intermediate Program Details 

Ages: 9 – 11 years 

Program Length: Mondays – Fridays, 3 – 6 hours a day

PROGRAM OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS: 

Between the ages of 9 and 11, a distinct change occurs in the child that makes the delivery of more complex concepts like space, movement on and off the ball, depth, width, and penetration possible. This is perhaps the most rewarding age to work with, as gains are somewhat immediate and distinct. Children are able to digest technical information if it is presented in a clear, concise, simple manner. In our session planning, we have interspersed technical content taught in grids with fun activities and small-sided games.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW FOR PLAYERS: 

Each day you’ll work on a specific technique in pressurized settings (for example, in dribbling we look at deception, exploiting and creating space, rounding defenders and creating time and space for players on the ball in stationary situations)

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES: 

Soccer-Robics (unique movement activities designed to energize participants), Turns and Burns (creative one-on-one moves to beat your opponent), Skillzbuilders (games and activities designed to develop the daily themes, which include running with the ball, dribbling, passing & control, shooting, defending and heading), Netbusters (applications of the daily theme around a goal), The Combine (MLS skills test and competitive games), Backyard Soccer (soccer games based on street game mentality), the Major League Soccer Play-Off (Small-sided conditioned games to open play), Warm Down (movement activity)

E. Advanced Program Details 

Ages: 12 – 15 years 

Program Length: Mondays – Fridays, 3 – 6 hours a day

PROGRAM OVERVIEW: Players at this stage in their soccer career have been shown the fundamentals and are working at mastering them; this curriculum gives the opportunity to improve these elements in an environment reflecting game situations. With the speed of modern soccer increasing all of the time, it is essential that players have the opportunity to practice their techniques and learn the broader implications their actions have on the field. With a range of small group exercises, this structured introduction will assist in learning team concept. When used concurrently with the individual techniques acquired earlier in development, players will have a good foundation in the key areas of soccer.

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES: The Training Session (developing the attitude and training factor through soccer-related exercises and games), The Coaching Session (developing daily technique factors from technical through to tactical), Practice Like A Pro (developing functional awareness of players, their roles and responsibilities), The Combine (a series of competitive small-sided games to test the development of the player), MLS Tournament (taking the daily key factors and applying them in a game), All Out Attack (reinforcing the emphasis on attack with activities around a goal), Warm Down (reinforcing knowledge, cool down time).