The Academy is split into 3 different series progressions

1. Youth Academy
2. Junior Academy
3. Senior Academy

The Youth Academy is comprised of 3 different progressions:

• Y1
• Y2
• Y3

The Junior Academy is comprised of 2 different progressions:

• Foundation
• Combination

The Senior Academy is also comprised of 2 different progressions:

• Creative
• Elite

This practicum focuses on the Foundation progression of the Junior Academy

In order to graduate from the Foundation progression, there are 6 key skills:

1. Lateral Deceleration
2. Quick-Six Touches
3. Low-instep Drive
4. First Touch (Spatial Awareness)
5. Aerial Control
6. Measuring Success --- ?

Lateral Deceleration techniques -

• back foot placed slightly outside the shoulder box? feet parallel and pointing forward
• both feet make complete contact with the ground
• Athletic stance, knees bent, butt back, chest up, shoulders facing forward
• Shoulder, knee, hip, ankle in-line with their weight evenly distributed across their body and leaning in the new direction
• Arms involved, elbows bent at 90 degrees

Quick-Six Touches -

• Quick, efficient touches
• use multiple surfaces of their foot
• take advantage of space (big - big - small - small)

Low - Instep Drive Techniques -

• plant foot right next to the ball, middle of the ball lined up with middle of their foot
• Toe pointed in the direction they want the ball to go
• weight evenly distributed across their plant foot, plant leg slightly bent, can they still see their toes
• ankle locked
• back swing, kicking their butt
• knee drive, knee snap
• hips and shoulders facing in the direction they wish to strike the ball
• chest up
• arm swing, palm facing forward
• arm comes across their body as they strike
• follow through, frog leg, torque
• expansion/contraction
• no spin, below knee height

First touch -

• moving
• 45 degree angle
• head up

Aerial Control -

• Receiving out of the air
• Volleys
• 12 surface juggling - 4-5 surfaces
• NO HEADING

Measuring Success -

• ?

This practicum will teach and license you in correctly identifying and teaching these different techniques to students in the Academy.