[quote=Anonymous]OP here - Thanks for all the great feedback. I honestly have no idea if he'll still be playing soccer 3-5 years from now, let alone further down the road. If he is great, if not, that's fine too. My immediate goal is that he enjoys himself, learns the value of teamwork/sportsmanship, giving his best and is continually challenged. Beyond that, who knows.
I didn't know about the drop-in programs, I'll look into them as well as maybe some soccer/sports camps.
Thanks again to everyone for your help![/quote]

Also... To add to the others...

You may not know anything about soccer, but put a pair of shoes on and play with your child in the yard. At this age it is all about touches on the ball (hence some of the changes ASA made to K soccer this year) and all you need to know to play with your child is you kick it with your feet. Also, if he likes it that much, be sure to take him to local soccer games, high school games, DC united and watch the World Cup!

In second grade arlington has the Academy program which is additional once a week skills. That was incredibly helpful in improving my child's skills. I have also heard good,things about the Marymount soccer camp.

OP here - Thanks for all the great feedback. I honestly have no idea if he'll still be playing soccer 3-5 years from now, let alone further down the road. If he is great, if not, that's fine too. My immediate goal is that he enjoys himself, learns the value of teamwork/sportsmanship, giving his best and is continually challenged. Beyond that, who knows.
I didn't know about the drop-in programs, I'll look into them as well as maybe some soccer/sports camps.
Thanks again to everyone for your help!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kindergarten superstar? That is nuts, even to say, let alone to believe. They are 5.

Get a grip. "Superstar" in this case clearly means best on team, not David Beckham

+1

The "superstar" is the one that has a clue and actually tries to get the ball. Unlike my DS who didn't work up the courage to go out onto the field until halfway through the season.

Maybe look at the offerings in neighboring counties like Fairfax? We liked the Fairfax county soccer coaches better than we've liked the ones in Arlington county - they tended to be South/Central American immigrants who had played soccer for years in their home countries and were very good, and good with the kids.

My daughter is 5 and in her last soccer game, she scored 4 goals and got an assist. The coaches said they very rarely see kids that age passing the ball, and they were impressed. Typically kids get the ball and score. We were pretty psyched that she is becoming a good team player. (we think the 4 goals were because she's one of the bigger/older kids on the team.)

When my son was that age we were in the same boat. I spoke with the other strong player's dad and asked if he was interested in getting 4 other kids together so the could play pick up games. He was interested so after the rec games we approached the parents of the best kid(s) on the other team to see if they were interested in doing some fun pick up games in the park. We got a group of 8 kids, 4-6 would show up at a time at a park. We set up little nets and cones and the kids played for fun, no score was kept. The kids loved playing against other kids who loved playing soccer and who wanted to be there.

Anonymous wrote:Kindergarten superstar? That is nuts, even to say, let alone to believe. They are 5.

Get a grip. "Superstar" in this case clearly means best on team, not David Beckham

Kindergarten superstar? That is nuts, even to say, let alone to believe. They are 5.

Anonymous wrote:The superstar player on my son's k team was average (if that) by second grade. The other kids got with the program over first and second grades, some of them leapfrogging to travel soccer. Everyone assumed that the kindergarten superstar would eventually be a good fit for travel as well, but it turned out that he just looked like a great player because he was competitive, got the game, and gave a sh*t before the other kids did.

There are lots of opportunities for kids to play soccer in Arlington, with private options, weekend drop-in, clinics, winter soccer, etc. By third grade developmental and travel soccer are options. Until then I would take pp's advice and just let him gain good control of the ball and/or see if he can play with older kids who can challenge him.

Yep. My son was a K standout and now is B-team material. He was born into a soccer family so was exposed early and knew what to do in K--bit eventually kids catch up.

I was the kid drawing in the dirt and doing cartwheels on the field in K and later got a scholarship to a D-1 school.

It means nothing now. Emphasize fun.

The superstar player on my son's k team was average (if that) by second grade. The other kids got with the program over first and second grades, some of them leapfrogging to travel soccer. Everyone assumed that the kindergarten superstar would eventually be a good fit for travel as well, but it turned out that he just looked like a great player because he was competitive, got the game, and gave a sh*t before the other kids did.

There are lots of opportunities for kids to play soccer in Arlington, with private options, weekend drop-in, clinics, winter soccer, etc. By third grade developmental and travel soccer are options. Until then I would take pp's advice and just let him gain good control of the ball and/or see if he can play with older kids who can challenge him.

Look at BRYC's micro academy, hP Elite and Futbol Training Club programs.

No, Arlington does not have a program like what you described. I agree with PP - while your player is far ahead of his peers now, he may not be for long. Are there slightly older kids in your neighborhood he could play pickup games with after school to get more touches and be more challenged? Then he can stay with his rec team (where the kids are his social peers and other skills can be learned about helping his teammates, winning with sportsmanship, etc.) but still get to play "up." Arlington also has summer camps that mix a wider range of ages - he may be more challenged there, and I've heard the coaches are good.

Anonymous wrote:My kid is the same way on his team. My sister and I both played Div 1 and so did my brother who also played Professional.

Dad is the coach so he challenges him---but it is pure fun this age. Since grandpa likes to pay him for goals he has quite a stash in the piggie bank.

Structure is not a good thing at age 6. Being a ball hog, being creative and having fun is what will serve him best. The kid should not be getting formal training at Kindergarten/first grade.

It will start changing in coming years. Eventually- they rank the Rec teams so then you are playing against other teams of similar caliber.

Kindergarten is a crap shoot. Just relax. I wouldn't do anything more formal until 2nd grade. Do a lot of 'drop-in' soccer (sponsored by ASA) and let him play as much as he wants.

We are in Arlington too, fwiw.

Btw, I just re-read your post, OP. Passing in Kindergarten ? Good lord!!! I would pull my kid off a team---sure sign the coach doesn't know jack-shit if he was emphasizing 'passing' at that age. Ball control/Dribbling now. Passing is down the road. You want the kids to touch and dribble as much as possible. Anyone who accuses a Kindergartner of geing a ball hog is a dolt that does not know the correct player development. Another tip-off---any coach trying to give Kindergartner 'positions' also doesn't know WTH he/she is doing.

My kid is the same way on his team. My sister and I both played Div 1 and so did my brother who also played Professional.

Dad is the coach so he challenges him---but it is pure fun this age. Since grandpa likes to pay him for goals he has quite a stash in the piggie bank.

Structure is not a good thing at age 6. Being a ball hog, being creative and having fun is what will serve him best. The kid should not be getting formal training at Kindergarten/first grade.

It will start changing in coming years. Eventually- they rank the Rec teams so then you are playing against other teams of similar caliber.

Kindergarten is a crap shoot. Just relax. I wouldn't do anything more formal until 2nd grade. Do a lot of 'drop-in' soccer (sponsored by ASA) and let him play as much as he wants.

We are in Arlington too, fwiw.

I’m curious about options for an organized soccer skills training program for my DS who is currently in Kindergarten. I know, you’re thinking here’s another insane parent trying to push their kid way too early, but here’s the deal.

DS is playing rec soccer in Arlington and while he loves playing with his friends, he’s often complaining that it’s too easy. His rec team is lucky enough to have two very strong players (DS and another kid who’s dad played D1). Scores aren’t kept, but “unofficially” they often win by at least 15+ goals and that’s given that our parent coaches, in an effort to minimize the imbalance, don’t allow him and the other strong player on the same field at the same time. It’s not uncommon for each of them to score a dozen or more goals apiece.

Practices and games are coached by parent coaches, who are wonderful people, but who have their hands full just keeping all the kids focused. Some kids on his team are obviously only there b/c their parents signed them up and the kids see it as a playdate and most of the rest, when not goofing off, just kick the ball in random directions. There is absolutely no passing aside from DS and the other kid.

Don’t get me wrong, DS loves to goof off with the best of ‘em, but for some reason he’s surprisingly focused and doesn’t goof when playing sports. It’s come to the point where’s he’s yelling at his friends to pay attention to the coaches during practices because he wants to practice and get better.
DS isn’t going pro or anything and maybe this is just a phase, but at the moment he just happens to love soccer and wants to get better and play games with kids who actually like soccer and want to play.

So back to my original question - Many local soccer clubs (BRYC, AUFC, etc.) offer mini or pre academy (age appropriate) soccer skills programs for younger players (ages 5-7) taught by professional coaches . I don’t think Arlington Soccer Assoc. offers much in the way of skills training for kids his age and I’m wondering what options are available and nearby (outside of private lessons), where our DS can play with kids with similar interest & skills. Lastly, if I knew a darn thing about soccer I’d coach him at home, but since I don’t, that’s not a viable option.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!