THE F.A.S.T. PROGRAM.
FLEXABILITY- ATHLETIC- SOCCER TECHNIQUES.
The F.A.S.T. Program has been specifically designed for one on one activities for the 4, 5, 6 and 7 year old. Parents are encouraged to gain an understanding of a child’s physical developments during these tender ages.
The program has been designed to be “Developmentally Appropriate”. This means we understand that each child is unique and that each child’s experiences should match his or her development abilities. We have to take into account the level of physical, social and emotional development of the child.
Participation in sports has expanded at enormous rates, especially for children of increasingly younger ages. The idea of The F.A.S.T. Program is to make sure it fits the child; the child should not have to fit the program.
So what are we dealing with in a child at this age?
Psychomotor Development.
Easy fatigue, rapid recovery.
Locomotor: walking, running, leaping, jumping and hopping.
Nonlocomotor: bending, stretching, twisting, pulling and pushing.
Basic manipulative: throwing, catching, striking and kicking.
Cognitive Development.
Short attention span.
Individually oriented. ( me, myself, mine).
Constantly in motion. No sense of pace.
Can only process small pieces of information.
No understanding of time and space relationship.
Psychosocial Development.
Egocentric, see only the world from their perspective. This is demonstrated through parallel play.
May verbalize team, but does not understand group or collective play.
F.A.S.T. Program components
SOCCERNASTICS.
- Emphasis is on fundamental movement skills.
- Development of self-concept, body awareness, self image through movement.
- A high degree of imagination and pretend activities.
- Child is encouraged through “Guided Discovery” to invent their own activities.
- Hand and eye coordination skills.
- Identify influential activity buddy. Parent/mentor.
- Play without pressure.