Launchpad is Neenah SC’s entry-level recreational program meant to get children ready to start learning the game of soccer. It is designed to foster and develop players’ ability to move dynamically, interact with other kids and adults socially and introduce basic ball-manipulation skills with both hands and feet. Skills include dribbling, kicking, stopping, passing, throwing, catching, etc. Launchpad sets the foundation for learning to train and loving the game.

Ranging from 5U-8U, Neenah SC’s Launchpad program looks to build upon and instill in players the club’s core values: Teamwork, Leadership, Integrity, Perseverance, Respect, Excellence and Community. These are the cornerstones in our player development pathway which is further supported by our Player Development Framework (see below).

To best serve our players in terms of development as players and people, Launchpad is set-up as a festival-style environment based on pools defined by ages and (after 5U) gender. Training sessions are forty-five minutes to an hour (due to the attention-spans of children this age) and consist of a 10-15-minute soccer-related skill-based game, in order to develop physical and technical ability in a game-like environment, and a 30-45-minute 4v4 game at the end, where players can test their skills and play with their friends. 

Each week, players will participate in a director-led and volunteer coach-facilitated activity in which they all participate together. This will be followed by games run by volunteer coaches, with teams made up of different players each session. While this does not allow for the development of “teams” and is somewhat more complicated than just playing with the same group each week, it allows for players to experience soccer with many different players and develop “age groups”, eliminates consistent “super teams” or “weak teams”, and provides variety for players. It is important to develop age groups at this stage and remove results and scores in order to provide as many healthy opportunities for players to develop as an individual, without worrying about how good or bad their team is, and instead concentrate on getting better at their own pace and having FUN.

There will be a time for developing teams and those types of dynamics down the road. At this age and stage, it is all about individual development, with a very basic introduction to team play and having fun with friends. 

While this is how we as a club install United States Youth Soccer (USYS) best practices, at 7U and 8U there is an option to play in a more structured soccer environment in Academy. This program is more intense and requires more commitment, with a higher level of expectation and emphasis on skill development. More information can be found here.

Player Development Framework

US Youth Soccer consulted experts in the fields of psychology, sociology, and physical education to understand what children are capable of at different ages and built their soccer model around those findings.  Young children are not developed yet physically, socially, and psychologically to play adult soccer at these ages.  They encourage playing small-sided games 4v4 MAX with multiple different children to develop successfully and we modeled Launchpad based on this philosophy. 

Using these findings from US Youth Soccer, we have developed our Launchpad program focusing on individual young player growth, begin to love the game of soccer and most importantly, have fun!  Below are what to expect for each age group.

5U

• Players begin to explore and experiment fundamental movement skills without the ball to begin and incorporate a ball as they grow in the following movement skills: walking, running, bending, twisting, skipping, hopping, leaping, jumping and landing.
• Explore different ways to manipulate the ball: playing with a ball becomes more fun as players develop the abilities to dribble more accurately during this age.
• These are completed through a focus of spontaneous experience and FUN IN GAMES along with unstructured play.  All practice portions of sessions will be a game to allow for these fundamental movements with and without a ball lead by staff coaches.
• There are no specific team tactical goals for this age group.
• Goal for coaches and parents:  Be enthusiastic, animated and have fun with your player.  Also, be very patient.

6U

• Players develop fundamental movement skills that were introduced during the U5 program including throwing and catching the ball (in practice session only, no throw in or goalies during games)
• Explore different ways to manipulate the ball: playing with a ball becomes more fun as players develop the abilities to dribble, kick, throw and catch more accurately during this age.
• These are completed through a focus of spontaneous experience and FUN IN GAMES along with unstructured play allowing for players choice.  All practice portions of sessions will be a game to allow for these fundamental movements with a ball lead by staff coaches.
• There are no specific team tactical goals for this age group.
• Goal for coaches and parents:  Be enthusiastic, encourage players to participate, give their best and have fun. 

7U-8U

• Focus on age-appropriate fundamental movement skills with ball that were introduced during U5 & U6 programs (in practice session only, no throw in or goalies during games)
• Explore dribbling, short passing and shooting.
• Players are introduced to cooperative play without structured team play utilizing short ball-oriented activities challenging the players' movements focused on power, speed, agility and mobility.
• These are completed through a focus of spontaneous experience games and activities along with unstructured play focusing on players choice.  All practice portions of sessions will be a game to allow for fundamental skills with a ball and introduction of 1v0, 1v1, 2v0 activities lead by staff coaches with assistance of volunteer coaches.
• Goal for coaches and parents:  Encourage players to participate, give their best and have fun.