League Director:  Joan Smith

Email: u4@brycsoccer.org

The U4 Developmental League is an age appropriate way to teach our 3-4 year old beginners the fundamentals of soccer.  We employ Professional Trainers (from Golden Boot Soccer) who have the skills and experience to properly teach these young players, leading to a better experience for both players and parents.

Special themed practices were developed for BRYC by Golden Boot. The practices teach soccer skills but they wrap them in fun stories. One week might be Pirate Week, the next Cats vs. Dogs... the kids have a LOT of fun with it, and so do the trainers!

Along with the Professional Trainers, each team could have one or more Parent Assistant Coach(es). The Parent Assistant Coaches work in the sessions with the Golden Boot Trainer to help themselves develop a comfort level in front of the team and to give them an opportunity to ask the Professional Trainer any questions they might have. (See more about Parent Assistant Coaches in the article at the bottom of the page.)

The U4 league is non-competitive and focuses on basic skills in a clinic type format. Players meet in groups (“teams”) once a week on Saturdays. Their instructors lead them through games designed to teach good skills and keep soccer fun and interesting.

Reminders

• Each child needs: his or her own size 3 soccer ball and water bottle with his or her name on it at each training session.
• Uniforms are not required. However, each team is color coded (red, yellow or blue) and we ask that players wear a t-shirt in their team color to their sessions. We have special small BRYC t-shirts available at Uniform Night in team colors (especially for parents of players with older siblings. The younger ones like to have a uniform too). To find the date for Uniform Night, please refer to the Season Schedule (find the radio button to the left on the Home page).
• Shin guards are required.
• Cleats are not required (some of our player's feet are too tiny for even the smallest cleats!)
• NO pets, alcohol or smoking are allowed on school grounds.
• There are no restroom facilities on site so plan accordingly.

I hope all our little players are EXCITED and ready to get on the pitch and kick the season off! Here is information for our upcoming season...

Spring 2024 Season Information:

• Game Dates: April 6, 13, 20, 27; May 4, 11
• Rain Makeup Dates (if needed):   May 18 and June 1
• Session Times:  9:00am, 10:30am, 12:00pm*
• Field:  TBD (Usually King's Glen or King's Park Elementary)
• Uniforms:  Although the U4s don't wear uniforms, each team does have a team color. Players are asked to wear a t-shirt in their team color to each session. We do have small BRYC t-shirts in each of the team colors. 
  • If you ordered one during registration, I will have it at the field on the first day.
  • If you did not order one during registration, you can purchase one on the first day for $12 (exact change cash, please).

*Session times vary depending on registration and the number of teams we have.

The U4 Developmental League players are coached by Professional Trainers, but in the fall when they "age up" to U5, they go to a traditional team program with a volunteer coach, a practice during the week and a "game" on the weekend.

But WHERE do those Soccer Coaches come from?

BRYC is a community organization COMPLETELY run by volunteers... that includes our coaches. So in the fall when we need coaches for our U5s, we will be looking to the parents to volunteer to coach a team.

Don't look for someone to stand behind! JUMP OUT IN FRONT and put your hand up! It doesn't matter if you've never touched a soccer ball in your life... all you need is a bag of good intentions... and a desire to have a meaningful experience with your child. And you can believe me when I tell you this because that's all my husband and I had when we stepped up to coach my daughter's team 16 years ago. I can honestly say, we would not trade it for anything. My daughter moved to travel for 3 years, then graduated out of the program, but we stayed and coached a U10G team from rec to travel to graduation (they JUST graduated in May 2023). As nervous as we were the first time we stood in front of that team... it's been beyond anything we could have imagined. We never thought we would love it as much as we do (or that it would grow to what it's become for us!)

I'm not just the U4 League Director, I am also the Training Director for BRYC. In that job, I handle all the training for our players AND our coaches. BRYC offers coach's clinics prior to every season, a footskills clinic for coaches, and we also host VA Youth Soccer Assn. (VYSA) licensing courses. We pay the registration fees for our coaches to receive their licensing. We encourage ALL our coaches to get their licenses and keep them current. [The VYSA licenses are graduated, so you take them as your team ages... 4v4, 7v7, 9v9, 11v11, D License (HS age teams).]

BRYC gives you the tools to be an effective coach... all you need is the desire to share that experience with your child... and about  a dozen of what are sure to become their best friends... and yours!

So STEP UP! And be prepared for one of the best experiences of your life!! It's starts by volunteering as a Parent Assistant Coach...

If you have any questions about becoming a coach, find me on the field or give me a call. I'm always happy to help!