Skill Centre

Overview

Children in the Skill Centre focus on their football development as well as their physical literacy. Sports like Basketball, Dodgeball, Judo and Track & Field form a key part of the training regime and account for 25-30 percent of their development up to the age of 12. Through these sports, players focus on specific skill sets that enhance their soccer development such as agility, balance, coordination, decision-making, falling safely, peripheral awareness and speed.

Canada Soccer has created the Skill Centre to guide clubs towards the best principles in player development, by taking a nationally coordinated approach to developing young soccer players. The WIA Skill Centre follows the guidelines and standards as outlined in the Canada Soccer Association Skill Centre manual.

WIA is a Full Membership of the Lower Island Soccer Association and participates in the weekly LISA development league against other LISA member clubs.

Players can attend the Skill Centre and play for the WIA Rangers, or attend the Skill Centre and play for their local community club.

WIA TEAMS – RANGERS

• WIA registers teams that play in the LISA U11/U12/U13 Developmental League, which aligns with Canada Soccer requirements for Skill Centres
• WIA does not have set teams
• Players in the Skill Centre are rostered each week according to the competition and player’s development
• U8-U9 Skill Centre players take part in Active Start Festivals and play against other LISA Club teams when available
• Girls may play on boy’s teams

WIA hosts free Player Identification Camps so that players can experience the WIA Skill Centre. ID Camps are an opportunity for WIA coaches to get to know potential Skill Centre players and for players to get to know us and experience WIA training.

ID camp dates can be found here: Player Identification Camps.

WIA’s Philosophy on Player Placement

The placement of players is based on a variety of variables:

• “Soccer Age” (player’s maturity, physical age, technical ability and overall understanding of soccer)
• Stage of physical development and literacy (fluid and ever-changing)
• Team dynamic
• Biological age

Some players may play in their biological age group, while others are placed on teams based on their soccer age. WIA technical coaches decide a player’s placement on an individual basis.

Parents and players must understand the following as it relates to the Skill Centre and WIA Teams. WIA:

• Cannot enroll more players than the player-to-coach ratio allows
  • Priority registration will be given to players selected for WIA Teams
  • Should space allow, additional spots will be given to players seeking supplementary training from other clubs
• Cannot turn away players who show promise just because they are inexperienced at the present moment
• Cannot accurately predict the potential or future performance of a player
• Cannot guarantee that your player will make the BCSPL team at U13 because the characteristics of young players are not the same as those of mature elite athletes
• Can develop and support players that are ready and willing to train, follow our standards-based training methods and trust our judgement as it relates to their development

T-I-P-S Philosophy for Player Development

Technical – understanding of what a technical player is – willing to receive technical training, perceptive to developing technique (quality of the touch of the ball)… playing games and taking part in tournaments does not equate to the technical development of a player.

Intelligence – understanding the game, understanding instructions and ability to apply those instructions to play and game… following through the instructions (Game understanding – tactical understanding)

Personality – attitude, attention, coachability, decision-making, creative thinking, motivation, concentration, communication (psychosocial)

Speed – physical development, speed of thought and speed of action, problem-solving, intensity of training

Program Description

PHYSICAL LITERACY:

Our program delivers physical literacy training in areas of agility, balance & coordination, basic motor skills, flexibility & mobility, perception & awareness, reaction time, and speed. Development modules of cross-training activities will run in 4-6-week cycles with activities like

• Track (endurance, agility and speed)
• Basketball skills/ Gymnastics (balance and coordination)
• Judo (flexibility & mobility, strength, and stamina)
• Futsal (dribbling, decision-making skills, confidence 1v1, creativity)
• Dodgeball (agility, concentration, reaction, and team-building skills)
• Badminton (excellent balance, flexibility, motor skills, mental resilience, team spirit and quick reflexes)

PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT:

The Psycho-social development program will be delivered in partnership with the University of Victoria’s Centre for Outreach Education (CORE). The program focus on psycho-social development in 2-4-week cycles with age-appropriate activities in areas such as

• individual motivation
• self-confidence, respect & discipline
• concentration, cooperation, teamwork
• competition, sportsmanship and team spirit building

TECHNICAL TRAINING:

With the understanding of age-appropriate levels of intensity and workload, technical training will focus on

• passing and receiving
• dribbling
• ball control
• turning
• running with the ball
• shielding the ball
• shooting
• finishing on goal

TACTICAL TRAINING:

With the understanding of age-appropriate levels of intensity and workload, tactical training will focus on:

• combination plays
• 1v1 attacking
• receiving on turn
• crossing and finishing
• positional play
• finishing on goal
• movement off the ball
• 1v1 defending

The Tactical emphasis is on possession, passing accuracy, and fluid movement between the orthodox delineations of midfield and attacking principles.

Program Schedule

Start date – 5 September 2023
End date – 13 June 2024

Training Schedule

Program Fees

• $2,250 includes GST
• Additional Fees
  • $100 LISA League Fee (U8-U9)
  • $180 LISA League Fee (U10-U12)
  • $150 Full Kit Fee includes GST (New Players)
• All players receive
  • Standards-based curriculum
  • 3 sessions per week
  • LISA Development League games (U11-U13)
  • Skill Centre Festivals
  • Professional coaching
  • Low player-to-coach ratios

Refund policies are listed on registration forms when you register for a program.