The Seaway Valley Soccer Club has launched its spring youth development program at the Benson Centre, offering a fun and skill-focused environment for players aged 6 to 12. Running on Saturday mornings from March 22 to May 10, the six-week program is designed to help young athletes prepare for the upcoming outdoor season.
Led by certified coaches and following Ontario Soccer’s Long-Term Player Development guidelines, the program focuses on age-appropriate training. For younger players (ages 6-8), sessions emphasize physical literacy and foundational soccer skills like dribbling, passing, and shooting. Older participants (ages 9-12) work on technical ability and ball control, with guidance from the club’s Head Coach.
“This is part of a six-week development program that we do in the spring, really to prepare our players for the outdoor summer program,” said Ed Irvine, Vice-President of the Seaway Valley Soccer Club and one of its Head Coaches. “We get an opportunity to bring them in for six weeks—kids at different skill levels—and help them get prepared for the summer.”
Each weekly session features a different theme and includes individual-focused drills rather than team-based gameplay. “What we do here with our kids is more individual-based. A lot of them spend a lot of time on the ball… it’s an easier entry point for kids who might feel intimidated by being put straight on a team,” Irvine added.
The program is capped at 32 participants to ensure personalized coaching, and each player receives a practice T-shirt. More information and registration details are available at svsc.ca.
