Seasons Greetings from Auckland Central West

Hi,

What an awesome year it's been!

We've had such a fun time with your little kickers and have plans to develop the fun even further, including an Auckland wide Mega Kickers tournament later in 2014.

2014 Enrolments
Classes return on Jan 31st and many of our classes are already full. If your child isn't currently enrolled and you're looking to return in the new year I strongly advise you e-mail (info@littlekickers.co.nz) or call us (09 815 8607) and get your child on the wailtist for your preferred class time so you don't have to wait too long.

Some classes will be taken outside, your coaches will let you know if this is looking to take place and then we'll ask for sunscreen, hats and plenty of water to be at the ready.

Coaching Updates:
Mt Eden: We would like to congratulate Coach Kathryn on getting a paid job as a Lifeguard, she looks to return with us once the summer season has finished. The lovely Coaches Merren and Raj (on his return from Singapore in Feb) will do a great job having a ball with your kids. 

We are sad to see Coach Raphael leave us as he follows his dreams to become a Policeman. Both Rapha and Gabi, his wife, have been such a pleasure to have on-board and will be surely missed by all that have being coached by them and worked with them.

I would like to thank all our coaches for all the hard work they put into making our classes so much fun, we can't thank them enough for their commitment to Little Kickers and love of what they do.

Office Update
The lovely Jo who was our Office Administrator has gone on early Maternity Leave with pregnancy complications with her twins - you'll be pleased to know the twins are still growing well inside and all is well with both Jo and the twins. I enjoyed coming back into the office and answering e-mails and speaking to many of you and now we've recently welcomed on board Gina who I call our calming influence in the office. You'll be hearing from Gina in the office via e-mail and phone from now on so please take a moment to welcome her on board.

On behalf of our wonderful coaches and those in the office we wish to thank you for all your support this year and all the lovely feedback which always makes us smile. 

We hope you have a special Christmas and summer break,

Yvette 

Director Little Kickers ACW & NZ

North Shore Summer Update

It has been a really busy year on the Shore, we have just opened our Birkenhead Saturday classes so now have sessions running at Takapuna, Mairangi Bay, Devonport, Birkenhead, and Sunnynook each week. 

2014 Dates & Summer Sale: Our summer break this year’s runs from the last sessions on 14 December through to starting up again on the 1 February – we also have a Summer Sale on at the moment for any renewals booked before 14 December (contact Sally on aucklandnorth@littlekickers.co.nz for up to 30% discount on sessions).

In 2014 we will be opening Saturday classes in Albany and Orewa – so plenty of football being played on the North Shore!

Creating Partnerships: Little Kickers are also pleased to announce a partnership with Albany United football club  – Albany have a strong reputation in Junior football (they currently work in conjunction with the Ricky Herbert Academy) and Little Kickers will be running sessions with them at Oteha Valley School in 2014. Our little kickers will directly link into the club, graduating to junior football with a defined pathway and skills base. 

Watch this space as we are also going to be putting together a similar partnership with another local North Shore team in early 2014 for one of our current venues.

With the summer coming some of our Devonport sessions will be held outside – so remember sunnies, hats and suncream with plenty of water to drink.

We will also have some new coaches starting in the new year – Piers is from the UK and used to be a body double for Fernando Torres! alongside some other new faces across the franchise.

Have a great Summer and keep practising!

Sally, Matt & the North shore team

Lenny's Top Secret Garden Game

Hello Little Kickers! 

Lenny dropped by again and look what he left behind! Another top secret Garden Game for you to try at home. 

Get your kicking boots on and give it a go!

Garden Games

Looking for ideas for your children to practice their football skills at home? Have a look at the games below and have fun teaching them to your kids.

A great way to spend a lovely Sunday afternoon and to keep fit =)

Car garage

Corner of a corner of the garden. This is the car garage. Get your child/children dribbling around the garden. When you blow the whistle, the children have to quickly dribble their football into the car garage. To make it more interesting, you can time how quickly they get their ball into the car garage or you can try to get their balls from your child.

Race mummy/daddy

This is a very simple race game, all you have to do is race your child/children. 

Make sure your child/children dribbles the ball in and out of the cones and keeps the ball nice and close. 

Hope you have a ball trying out these games!

Player Profile - Siddraj - 3 1/2yrs

Player Profile - Siddraj - 3 1/2yrs

Introducing our July player profile! 

Please welcome our Rock Star Mighty Kicker from the One Tree Hill sessions!

Name:  Siddhraj Sinh Solanki

Age: 3 1/2

Venues attended around the world: One Tree Hill, Auckland

How long have you been coming to Little Kickers? Since last 1.5 years

 What is your favourite little Kickers game? Running like Airplane and doing big kicks randomly

What do you like best about little kickers? Getting the stamp, mummy clapping when I do a Goal

What do you want to be when you grow up? A Rock star

What’s your favourite healthy food? Steak and Carrot

Who is your favourite coach? Coach Raphael

What do you love? Loves playing different instruments - Loves music

Parent says: 

I started Little kickers for Siddhraj when he was quite young and timid was not sure how this would work out for him, thank God the coach from day one (Yvette) was so child friendly and today Siddhraj does not like to miss a single class. I feel proud when he does those balance on the Ball to show his friends in preschool and never misses a catch while playing with them, I like how he makes an effort to score a goal and feels happy about it. When he shows his little kickers pictures and some different tricks with the saoccer ball to our friends they call him Ronaldo in the making.

Thank you Little Kickers. God bless.

Player Profile - Finlay - 3yrs

Player Profile - Finlay - 3yrs

Our player profile is a Junior Kicker from the Glendowie sessions. A matured little man who loves his "big kicks". Check out his awesome interview:

Name: Finlay Leary

Age: 3

Venues attended around the world: 

Would love to say Stamford Bridge or Wembley but so far only Stadium backyard and Glendowie. 

How long have you been coming to Little Kickers: 

My dad has been taking me to little kickers for about 10 weeks now.

What is your favourite Little Kickers game:

I love to run and kick the ball as hard as I can so the last game of running and shooting in the goal is my favourite. I like how each week the games change so we have new things to do.

What do you want to be when you grow up: 

I want to be an astronaut and drive a rocket ship to Mars to visit the Martians. My Dad says I am going to play for Chelsea.

What's your favourite healthy food: 

My favourite healthy food at the moment is eating Feijoas off our tree.

Who is your favourite coach: My favourite coaches are Raphael and Siobhan.

What do you love: 

I love hunting for crickets under the stones in my garden, finding massive crabs at the beach, doing `big kicks, and big whacks’ with my ball and bat, and riding my bike.

Parent/s perspective on Little Kickers:

As a parent I appreciate all the effort and thought that has gone in to designing different activities for the kids that don’t just concentrate on kicking a ball but also incorporate listening and learning skills. I also think Rafael and Siobhan are brilliant with the kids during the activities, and all three of the little kickers team at Sacred Heart on Sundays including Ruth are welcoming and incredibly friendly.

Player Profile - Emma - 3

Queen Emma’s Player Profile

We had the pleasure of asking Emma some questions in our Player Profile, read Emma’s answer to ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ – what an awesome answer!


Name: Emma
Age: 3 years old
Venues of Little Kickers attended ? Meadowbank Primary
How long have you been coming to Little Kickers? Approx 6 months.
What is your favourite little Kickers game? Airplane - you just stand up and fly around like an airplane!
What do you like best about little kickers? Goal time!!
What do you want to be when you grow up? A Queen Bee.
What’s your favourite healthy food? Carrots or Prawns.
Who is your favourite coach? Coach Rachael.
What do you love? Playing with my friend Sophia.

Your Mum and/or Dad’s perspective on Little Kickers: Little Kickers has been great for Emma. She's learnt how to follow and execute very specific instructions. The exercises are at a level that the kids can understand. The coaches are very patient and enthusiastic.