Launch of new Brisbane Outer South Zone Coming Soon
We’re pleased to announce that we’re launching a new zone in Brisbane Outer South for 3-5 year olds. The launch date and venue is to be confirmed but there will be fun using our Viva Inflatable Arena along with lots of giveaways and a free raffle. Full details will follow soon so keep an eye on our website and Facebook page to see what’s happening.
If you’re interested in Viva Soccer running a program at your Child Care Centre or at your facility perhaps in the afternoon or at weekends, please call Caroline on 1300 870970. Or perhaps you have a suggestion where to run a program – either at an indoor or outdoor venue. Either way, we’re interested in hearing from you.
The many advantages of kids playing soccer
Why is soccer such a great sport for kids? Well, there are many reasons. For one, it is not gender biased. Years ago you would have seen a lot more boys playing soccer at junior level than girls, but these days female participation in soccer is huge! With the Matildas soccer team performing so well in the World Cup in past years, the amount of girls wanting to play soccer will only grow as they have female soccer heroes to look up to.
Soccer is also a very safe sport, particularly at a young age. There is only minimal contact and the game is based on skill, rather than reliant on physical strength. This is why so many parents choose soccer in preference to Aussie Rules and rugby, because they don’t want to risk their children getting injured at such an important and formative stage in their physical development.
Another great thing about kids playing soccer is that it’s a team sport that requires lots of communication. Team sport encourages interaction and develops social skills, while supporting team mates verbally can develop leadership skills from a young age. Played under the guidance of an encouraging coach, soccer is a great way to build self-esteem and confidence in children.
As many of you will be aware, soccer is known as the World Game because it is played all over the world. It is a universal language that can bring all cultures together, particularly in a multicultural country such as Australia. Soccer can also teach kids about acceptance of people from all backgrounds. If they decide to travel overseas when they’re older, soccer can break cultural and linguistic barriers.
Soccer may appear to be a simple game, but it’s one that can make a significant contribution to a child’s development.
The tremendous benefits of junior soccer
Getting your children involved in organised sport from an early age is one of the most valuable things you can do for them. As well as helping to develop their motor skills and keeping them healthy and active, sport has plenty of social and behavioural benefits.
In my experience (as someone who once played junior soccer) being a part of a sporting program or club gives young people an outlet to express themselves in a safe and controlled environment and provides them with a regular source of enjoyment.
Anti-social behaviour, particularly among teenagers, is often a result of boredom. If you introduce your children to sport at a young age, chances are they’ll continue to be involved in sport throughout their formative years and hopefully well beyond them.
Having come through the ranks as a junior soccer player, I can tell you that soccer is a great sport to get your child involved in, for so many reasons. Soccer has the highest participation rate among juniors of any sport in Australia. It doesn’t matter where you live, you’re likely to have a local soccer club near you that will welcome your child into the club.
Soccer is less aggressive than many other codes of football. The reason why so many parents are introducing their kids to soccer is because it has less of the rough physical contact associated with sports such as Aussie Rules and rugby.
That’s why at Viva Soccer we love seeing new kids come into the program, because we know the benefits are going to be great and potentially lifelong.
Soccer schools with a difference
We’re so lucky to live in a country that loves its sport. It’s so ingrained in our culture, that when an Aussie team or athlete succeeds on the world stage, a great shiver of national pride runs through the country.
We salute our sporting heroes like no other. A good example of this patriotic elation was when my team mate John Aloisi clinched the match winning penalty against Uruguay in 2005, catapulting the Socceroos into their first Word Cup since 1974. I was lucky enough to be a part of that World Cup and the following World Cup in South Africa.
The way we were treated by the Australian public, whose national game is another code altogether, made me proud to be an Australian and it further strengthened my already rock-solid belief that soccer was a powerful and unifying game.
As an ambassador for Viva Soccer, I want to bring that passion for soccer to as many children as possible. At our soccer schools we can take kids with talent and nurture and refine them with our stable of top quality coaching staff.
So many talented juniors get lost in the system because they lose interest or they aren’t receiving the right training from the right people. Too often they are stuck in a culture where winning is everything, at the expense of developing individual skills.
As a former Socceroo I can attest to the fact that it’s not necessarily the most gifted players who make it to the top – it’s those who have the will to keep improving and learning.
At Viva Soccer, we’re committed to continual development. But we don’t just want kids who can already kick a soccer ball and have lofty ambitions, we also want juniors who have never played the game, and just want to have a bit of fun – because the most important thing is getting out there and having a go.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our programs soon.
Craig Moore, Viva Soccer Ambassador and Retired Socceroo
Our Viva Retriever has been named!
We’re pleased to announce that Banjo will be the name of our Viva Retriever. Banjo received the most number of votes from our customers so thanks to everyone for voting.
There are still free tickets left for the Gold Coast United game against Sydney FC on Sunday 11 December, kick off 4pm, if anyone still wants to attend. It should be a good game and a good chance to get behind your local A League Team.
We’ve launched a new product – our one night Residential Camp for 10 to 14 year olds at Runaway Bay Sports Super Centre in Runaway Bay (now known as the Runaway Bay Sport and Leadership Excellence Centre). It will take place on Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 January. It’s a good chance to let off steam before school starts and look at getting back into soccer before the season kicks off again. You can book and pay online and also check to see what your child needs to take. All accommodation and food is included.
There are other Holiday Camps running next week at Coomera Anglican College (Gold Coast North) and Hillcrest Christian College (Gold Coast South). There’s also Holiday Fun where you can book for 1, 2 or 3 hours at 3 different Gold Coast North venues.
The office will be closed from 9 December until 9 January for Christmas. However, you can still contact our coaches as follows:
Simon – Gold Coast North – 0434 897664
Jamie – Gold Coast South – 0411 394577
Nick – Cairns – 0417 929188
David – Brisbane Inner South – 0431 621070
Pete – Brisbane North – 0431 125624
Alternatively, if it’s a non urgent enquiry, please email sales@vivasoccer.com.au.
We wish all our customers a very Happy Christmas and New Year and look forward to seeing you all again next year. Many thanks for your custom and support.
Free Gold Coast United tickets
Gold Coast United have offered all our Viva Soccer customers the chance to watch the match on Sunday 11 December at 4pm against Sydney FC.
All you need to do is email sales@vivasoccer.com.au and we will let you have details on how you can apply for the free tickets. All you need is a printer to be able to print the tickets off.
Remember to wear your Viva Soccer shirt, unless of course you have a Gold Coast United shirt!
Thanks to Gold Coast United and we hope you enjoy the game.
Soccer games for kids and soccer coaches!
Our coaches have an extensive knowledge of soccer drills and techniques to make your children get the most out of soccer. In soccer, as in many sports, much of the enjoyment comes when a child starts to master a technique or action. Seeing the thrill on a child’s face as they successfully weave through a set of cones with the ball at their feet is what Viva Soccer is all about.
Because we cater for children age 3-16, we have training drills to suit all ages and skill levels. The drills we do cover a range of game-day situations, such as one-on-one, ball control, dribbling passing, scoring, formations and tactics. Of course, we also conduct soccer games for kids.
For the more advanced soccer player, we have many more difficult skill development exercises they can practice, while our basic beginner drills can have the youngsters proudly displaying their new-found control of the soccer ball very quickly.
The drills are all conducted in a way that keeps children engaged. One of the best ways to teach children anything is to ensure they have fun while they’re learning, as they are more likely to absorb the information. That’s why our drills are conducted in an enjoyable atmosphere. Along the way we aim to develop good training habits that kids can take with them into their adult lives.
All coaches go through warm up activities with participants and speak to them about the importance of warming up and stretching before taking part in any physical activity. And all kids get opportunities to put what they learnt to practice, with small sided soccer games for kids.
Soccer games are great for the development of a broad range of skills growing children need, but they’re also great fun for the kids – and the coaches!
Name our Viva Retriever!
We’re putting it to the vote to name our new mascot – the Viva Retriever. The 3 options are Vinnie, Koko or Banjo. You can vote on Facebook for your favourite name or email sales@vivasoccer.com.au
We’ll have a colouring competition in the new year to colour our mascot in. We’ll also be introducing our sticker cards for the Tots Program so that the stickers can be kept together along with a photo and the name of your child recorded on there.
Our birthday cards will also have a new look from next year and there will be party invitations for those who want to book a Viva Soccer birthday party. Please remember that you don’t have to book the Viva Inflatable Arena for your birthday party. You can just have a coach along to run some soccer games for you to keep everyone amused for an hour or so.
We’ll keep you updated again soon with our Viva Soccer Newsletter so keep checking your emails.
Kids’ Soccer Coaching – for fun and good health
Sport and health go hand in hand. It makes keeping active easier because it can be much more enjoyable than other forms of exercise, especially at Viva Soccer, where the focus during soccer coaching sessions is on fun. Soccer in particular promotes healthy activity – it’s a game that requires running, co-ordination and strategy. Yes, soccer also helps train the mind.
The game of soccer is beautiful in its simplicity, that’s why kids can have so much fun playing it and why the game is supported around the world by people of all ages. It’s the most popular game in the world for a reason. All you need is a patch of grass (or even dirt) and a ball, and away you go.
At Viva Soccer, our love of the game rubs off on the children. Our soccer coaching is run by total professionals who know how to help children get the most out of the game. There are a number of activities that are designed to keep kids active and have fun while doing it. It’s simply a great way to get fit!
One of the best things about soccer is that even very young children can get involved. Starting the little ones off is somewhat of a specialty for us and to get them involved safely (and with more fun than they can image) we have a fabulous tool – the inflatable soccer arena. It’s a great way for kids to enjoy themselves while learning about soccer. Aptly named the Viva Arena, the inflatable arena is 20m x 15m and can be used in schools or at kids’ parties. These are the sorts of activities that make Viva Soccer a progressive and innovative program.
We also promote healthy eating, as it plays a role in children’s ability to play sport. Check out our healthy eating page for our thoughts on this.
Craig Moore’s thoughts on soccer drills for kids – the Viva Soccer way
If you’re like most parents and believe positive reinforcement is vital when it comes to building a child’s self-esteem, then you share my view and the view of all Viva Soccer coaches.
Kids need regular encouragement to build their confidence and keep them interested in any activity. I’ve seen many cases where kids who start out enthusiastic and excited about playing sport lose interest when there is a negative attitude towards their involvement or to their performance in a particular sport.
The soccer drills for kids that we run are designed to support and encourage them. If we’re able to get a young child loving soccer at an early age, there’s a good chance they’ll have a long, active involvement in the sport.
I personally endorse all the soccer drills for kids that we run. All our drills have been carefully devised to teach kids in a thorough, engaging and fun manner – the same way I developed my soccer skills.
On top of this, children learn the values of respect and fairness. Coaches are always on hand to ensure children play in a fair manner. There is no tolerance for excessively vigorous tackles, and aggressive attitudes and bad language are also unacceptable.
I believe in a big picture approach to soccer, as do our coaches. For soccer to flourish in this country, it needs to be grounded in strong ethics and integrity. The image of the game is vital to its popularity and at Viva Soccer, we want to produce kids that are going to enhance soccer’s reputation and help to grow the sport in Australia.
Craig Moore, Viva Soccer Ambassador