Our EHSC Community Programs offer a great entry-level opportunity for kids who may have little to no experience with soccer. The lower commitment level of this program offers an opportunity for players, who might have other commitments during the season, to stay connected to the club and play with this once-per-week option.
All of our community programs are overseen by club staff with groups that are led by Student Activity Leaders (SALs). The curriculum is developed by our technical staff in alignment with Soccer Canada and Soccer Nova Scotia standards. Most of the SALs are current and former EHSC u15 and u18 players who have begun training that will create the next generation of EHSC coaches. They leverage this knowledge and their experience as players to share their love of the game with our community program players.
There are some differences based on the Program Level, and those differences are described in detail below
For our u5 program, a parent joins their child on the field for every session. Activities have a lot of movement, simple and clear instructions, and follow a theme through various stations. In alignment with development guidelines for this age group, there are no soccer games. Instead, fun activities are used to ensure high contact time with the ball while building basic skills and developing agility, balance, and coordination.
Activities in our u7 sessions have a lot of movement, and while not solely focused on technique, they offer the opportunity for players to learn by doing in a fun and challenging environment. Simple and fun, the sessions follow a theme through a GAGA (Game-Activity-Game-Activity) station format. Players at this stage will play in a small sided 4v4 game without goal keepers. Lower numbers allow for more contact time on the ball, the key to developing confidence and comfort on the field.
Please note that parents/guardians are required to stay on-site as SALs are not responsible to manage behavior issues.
u9 and u11 players continue to build their foundation by further developing ABC’s (Agility, Balance, Coordination) along with ball familiarity. They will spend time running with the ball, turning, working on fakes/feints, passing, receiving, finishing & goal keeping. Goalkeepers are introduced at this stage in a 5v5 game format. While the tactical side of the game is not the priority, players will be setup in a diamond/box formation and be encouraged to spread out/not all chase the ball at once. At u11, spatial awareness and position on the field gets additional focus.
Please note that parents/guardians are required to stay on-site as SALs are not responsible to manage behavior issues. However, parents are not required to participate "on-field" in this age group.
We have worked hard to create a program that is is overseeen by our staff and run by SALs. That said, we are always looking for engaged parents or guardians who are willing to help out in any number of ways. To ensure the sessions are as organized as possible, we are always seeking parent volunteers to support session delivery. These volunteers will receive a $25 credit towards a future registration. Note: Volunteers must be approved by EHSC leadership and must complete a criminal background check (club covers associated costs).
Our programming is always subject to change based on anticipated registration, and for season specific details please click here.
