Free to Play soccer
Our objective is to bring together underserved youth immigrants, refugees and low-income families, living in Winnipeg’s Central Neighbourhoods. Also, creating a safe and welcoming space for a community soccer program for all ages and all skill levels.
Our Vision
To remove financial barriers that prevent youth from participating in soccer
The name “Free to Play” implies is a free soccer program designed for underserved youth residing in the downtown area. This program will serve as an opportunity for youth to realize their hidden potential through soccer. Free to play is an in-depth community-led initiative that creates positive long-lasting impacts.
Free To Play
The “Free to Play” program intends to create a safe space for youth during spring and summertime while engaging them through soccer. A resultant effect of this engagement is a reduced rate of juvenile delinquency among African youth in Manitoba. Further, this program seeks to assist youth in the development of their leadership skills, teamwork, communication skills among other essential competencies that facilitate youth advancement.
Player Development
- Technique – Ball mastery control, body movement, and dribbling
- Mindset – Mental strength, coachability, self-motivation, and drive
- Game Intelligence – Risk assessment and game vision
- Team play – Learn that together everyone achieves more
- Physique – ABC’s ability, balance, coordination, stamina, speed, power, and strength
Free to Play Program
- Fundamentals (-U9, -U11) – Teaches kids fundamental movement and soccer skills while maintaining an emphasis on FUN. It encourages children to move and have fun.
- Girls Academy (U12-16 girls, U16-U18 girls) – Begins developing soccer skills and speed. Refines skills and position-specific physical and mental training for the mid- to late-teenage athletes, to improve the international player
- Boys Academy (U12Boys -17) – Builds physical capacities and tactical knowledge for early- to mid-teenage athletes, with an eye for identifying the elite player. Encourages players to stay in the game, whether competitively or recreationally, for life
Player Pathway
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Academy
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Clubs/League
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Developmental League
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University/College level
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Professional/Semi-Pro level
Benefits
Active lifestyle for life – Being active for at least 30 minutes is part of the Healthy Canada guide.
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Confidence– There are youths out with low self-esteem, and playing sports improves their confidence. Playing with their teams who encourage them will boost their confidence.
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Setbacks and attacks – Sport is not all about winning – losing is a huge part of the experience. The youth will input what it is learning “sometimes we win, and sometimes we lose.” Youth understanding this knowledge to help them to handle challenges in life.
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Dealing with Authority – Many youths have negative experiences dealing with authority either from parents, teachers or mentors. Everyone has different points of view – and that’s a valuable lesson child can learn from sport. There is no better illustration of this fact that than the conflict created by a referee’s disputed decision.
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Managing conflict – is one of the life skills everyone must learn, but often the idea managing conflict means “Us versus Individual,” but through sports, we will learn how to handle conflict in a positive way.
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Self-discipline – To be good at the game, kids need to get up in the morning to be at a particular place at a specific time; they need to keep themselves in healthy conditioned when they play the field. These are life skills the modern workplace demands, too.
The Inspiration Behind Free to Play
Free To Play Images
