Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! We offer open enrollment, so that you can join anytime and have your class fees prorated. This means that you pay only for the remaining class and not the full session fee.

Participants should wear comfortable clothes and indoor soccer shoes (no cleats) or plain tennis shoes. Shinguards are needed for Micro Classes and Micro Advanced classes. Lil’ Kicker uniforms are sometimes offered promotionally or are available for purchase. Outfitting your child in Lil’ Kickers garb is a fun way to make your child feel part of a team.  Kids naturally appreciate looking like older uniformed kids and role models.  Plus a uniform gives kids a sense of belonging because they look like others on the team.

Classes are co-ed, so the mix of boys and girls is based on who registers. If you have five or more players and we have enough field space, we are open to creating a special class for you with your requested mix of children.

Hoppers is a class for beginning 3 and 4 year olds that helps develop individual skills. Jackrabbits is an intermediate class between the Hoppers classes for total beginners and Micro classes for school age kids who have had previous experience.  In Jackrabbits, children play more one-ball oriented games to help them transition from individual skills to team skills. Some small-sided, non-competitive scrimmages are also introduced in Jackrabbits.

Lil’ Kickers is coed; however, if you have five or more girls and we have available field space, we are open to satisfying your request.

Subject to field availability, we are open to creating private classes for groups of five or more.  But please realize that individual training is not part of the Lil’ Kickers program!

No, all registrations are first come, first serve basis.

All Lil’ Kickers Coaches are carefully screened to ensure we provide quality, child-centered, high energy instruction. Each Coach goes through a background check and a rigorous training process, which includes child development training. Instructors may or may not be U.S.S.F. licensed.

While many soccer programs are busy using traditional soccer skill drills to drive home the fundamentals of soccer, we approach coaching from a child-centered perspective. Because of this perspective, we know that our main goal is to make learning fun for kids. We do this by putting instruction into a context children understand, using special techniques designed around how kids naturally learn. Lil’ Kickers teaches your child the fundamentals of soccer, but focuses on developing the whole child. Our program helps develop social, emotional, and cognitive skills that result in our Lil Kickers becoming well-balanced and conscientious individuals on and off the soccer field.

If you are a current customer, then you can register online through MySAM any time of the day or night!

You are allowed to make up any missed classes within the session in which you are enrolled, subject to space availability. We typically offer many other class times, so usually this is not a problem; however we cannot guarantee that space will be available. And note that you cannot carryover make-up classes into later sessions.

No, classes are 50 minutes and require a parent or guardian to be on-site.

No, but we do offer one free trial class to new customers to see if their children enjoy the Lil’ Kickers experience.

No, the free trial class is discounted from the class fee paid when you sign up.

Children with special needs are welcomed in our program as long as we are equipped to assist them accordingly. Please contact our Lil’ Kickers Coordinator for more information.

The entire session must be paid in full at the time of registration. However, since we offer open enrollment, we do prorate class fees.

The free trial policy is usually limited to one free class per child. However, in special circumstances a Lil’ Kickers Coordinator may offer an additional free class to a child, particularly if it’s been a long time since the last free trial class.

Yes! We offer a sibling discount of $15.00 for each additional child registered.

Yes, though you will need to register and pay for the additional class sessions separately. And don’t forget that we offer a $15 session discount for any child who attends multiple classes per week.

No, in order to maintain class ratios and consistency within the program, we schedule children for specific times and days. When registering, be sure to first determine which day best suits your schedule. Of course there may be an occasion when a make-up class is needed. In that situation, you can schedule a make-up class for any day in which class space is available. If your schedule changes during the session, and you need to switch days, we will try to accommodate your needs to the best of our ability. However, changes cannot be guaranteed and are based on space availability.

Classes for this age group focus on building important basic skills such as balance and coordination. A variety of sensory activities such as blowing bubbles, playing with parachutes and noodles and building towers made out of cones are presented in a sequence that promotes skill development and cognitive mapping.

In this situation, we normally suggest placing the child in a Cottontails class. Cottontails classes are methodically structured and specifically designed to deal with a child’s separation anxiety and to promote child autonomy. We have found that these classes provide a successful, long term solution for dealing with separation anxiety.

A higher level of specialized technical instruction is provided in Micro Advanced classes, and the value of this instruction is priced accordingly.

Each of our classes lasts 50 minutes with a water break about half-way through. Between classes there is a 10 minute break.

Ratios vary depending on several factors including the mobility of the children in the class, whether parents are participating in the class, and the level of technical instruction required. Here are the ratios for each class. *with parent participation

We offer four (4) sessions a year that break down into approximately 13 week cycles.

If your daughter is ready physically and emotionally, the option of moving up is always available, subject to the recommendation of a Coach. However, changing classes in midstream because of a birthday is unnecessary.

Yes, if it is appropriate for him both physically and emotionally. Our coaching staff will determine whether moving up is appropriate based on our experience with kids of similar age with similar abilities.

Micro Advanced classes are our most technically difficult classes.  Players who have successfully completed Jackrabbits often are well suited to joining Micro Advanced 5-6.  Players who have successfully completed Big Feet are often well suited to joining Micro Advanced 7-8.  On occasion, players with no Lil’ Kickers experience, but who have had significant experience playing elsewhere (unusual at this age) may move directly into a Micro Advanced class. In any case, advancement into a Micro Advanced class normally requires a Coach’s recommendation.

Advancing to the next class really depends on the child and how they are doing in the current class. Our philosophy is that sports played at younger ages should be mainly about overall emotional and cognitive development and the social experience of playing in a group or on a team.  The exercise and growth of a child’s physical capabilities is of lesser importance; so prior to moving a child, we consider not just the child’s physical needs, but also their emotional, cognitive and social needs. This approach helps create a successful learning environment for children who are ultimately well developed in all areas. Your child’s Coach can help you evaluate and determine which class is most appropriate for you and your child’s needs.

Our classes are developed to be age and skill appropriate, so normally siblings of different ages are not in the same class. However, if a younger child has advanced ability as determined by our coaching staff, then an exception may be made.  Note that our class schedule normally offers classes for different ages at the same time, which often accommodates those families who want to simultaneously schedule their children’s classes.

If a child is well-suited for a given class, we will not otherwise restrict that child from that class.  However, we normally offer several times and days for each class, so it shouldn’t be difficult to personally schedule your child so that any unwanted pairing does not occur.

You can request a specific Coach; however your child’s placement with that Coach will be first come, first serve, and determined by space available.  So sign up early!