The Iowa Rush staff is very excited to get our 'Fall in Love With the Ball' project underway. All 5U-8U families should have received a Rush bag with a soccer ball, soccer discs, and, for 5U and 6U families, a copy of Tom Byer's "Soccer Starts at Home." Now, our purpose at Iowa Rush is to help you all put those items to good use.
What is the 'Fall in Love With the Ball' project all about?
Iowa Rush is implementing aspects of
Tom Byer's work within our 5U-8U programming in order to cultivate a greater enjoyment of soccer, parent-child engagement, and awareness of developmental best practices. The foundational idea of Byer's work is that one of the most important stages of child development, if not the most important, takes place before the age of 5.
But, what is the 'Fall in Love with the Ball' project?
Iowa Rush will be facilitating multiple programs within the initiative. The first is a 12-week challenge for each of our 5U-8U families to take part in. Perhaps the best part of the challenge is that it all takes place in the comfort of your own home and at no cost. For the remainder of the season we will be assigning two techniques, or "moves," for your son or daughter to practice at home each week. The point isn't for your child to become the next Christian Pulisic or Megan Rapinoe--it's for you and your child to have a daily activity that bonds you together while, at the same time, improving your child's ability to pay attention, increase motor coordination, and move the ball! The weekly assignments and ball mastery techniques can be found on this webpage.
What else do I need to know to get started?
To make the 'Fall in Love With the Ball' project more of a group effort, you will all be receiving an invitation to join TeamSnap. Within TeamSnap, a messaging app, you will all be made a part of one of four groups: 5U-6U Boys, 5U-6U Girls, 7U-8U Boys, or 7U-8U Girls. The reason for creating these groups is to encourage each of you to share videos of your child working through his or her weekly moves with each other. Kids getting to watch themselves and their friends on video will be part of the fun.
What future challenges or options are for my child if I didn't sign up in the fall?
There will be a 7 day virtual camp over the winter for all 3-8 year old players that will be absolutely free and open to every little player in Iowa or beyond. Information on how to sign up will be coming soon!
Rush 5-8U soccer will again create a challenge in the spring for all players that sign up within Iowa Rush. Registration will open soon for the spring! New players will receive a size 3 ball, bag, and cones.
20 Full scholarships for the Fall 5-6U or 7-8U Rush programs - Apply HERE. Equipment needs covered if requested on the scholarship.