Sparks and Flames
In the summer of 2024, US Soccer launched the Soccer Forward Foundation. With the support of Concorde Fire South, we hope to foster an inclusive environment where all children, regardless of their socioeconomic background, can have access to high-quality training, professional development, and licensed coaching at the grassroots level for limited cost. Through the generous support of our community partners, we have secured over 100 full-cost scholarships to hand out to deserving players in need! It is our intention that no child misses out on the opportunity to gain valuable soccer training at the youngest ages.
Sparks Program
The Sparks program is for U4 and U5 players and meets on Wednesday evenings from 5:30-6:45 PM. The curriculum is designed and administered by Concorde Fire Directors and Staff Coaches with support from licensed parent volunteer coaches. Games are played on Saturday mornings in the 3v3 format using US Soccer best practices, meaning there will be kick-ins when the ball goes out of bounds, goal kicks, and free kicks. Additional training sessions will be available and led by our volunteer licensed parent coaches. Players graduating from the Sparks program will move on to the Flames program.
Flames Program
The Flames program is for U6 and U7 players and meets on Wednesday evenings from 5:30-6:45 PM. The curriculum is designed and administered by Concorde Fire Directors and Staff Coaches with support from licensed parent volunteer coaches. Games are played on Saturday mornings in the 4v4 plus a Goalkeeper format. In addition to the technical aspects of the game, players will begin to learn team tactics such as playing out from the back, throw-ins, goal kicks, and free kicks. Additional training sessions will be available and led by our volunteer licensed parent coaches. Players graduating from the Flames program will move to our U8 Jr Academy program. Additionally, top-performing U7 players will be invited to play up into our Jr Academy where they will play other local Academy games.
FAQs
Q: How much does this cost?
A: The cost of the program is $80, and that includes all registration fees along with a red and black jersey for games and training. The club has secured funding for 100 full-cost scholarships. The purpose of these scholarships is to ensure “everyone plays,” and priority will be given to youth from Title 1 schools and underserved areas.
Q: Will a player be able to play recreational soccer and participate in the Sparks and Flames?
A: No, players will play only with the Sparks and Flames program as they will get to have training and games.
Q: How are teams formed?
A: Players will be able to form their own team with friends, or be placed onto a team.
Q: I want to Coach but am not licensed, what do I do?
A: All volunteers will be trained and given access to a US Soccer grassroots license for Free! It is our hope that we not only develop future Concorde Fire players but also Concorde Fire coaches who want to continue on and further their coaching careers and education.
Q: What happens after U7 if a player doesn’t want to move to Jr Academy or participate in competitive youth soccer?
A: That is perfectly fine. It is our hope that those players would pursue a recreational soccer pathway, only that they would enter recreational soccer with a more developed skill set that will carry them for a lifetime.
Q: Will there be any travel?
A: No, there is no travel involved!
Q: What does a typical training session look like?
A: The sessions are divided into three sections: the first part of each session is spent working on basic soccer skills (dribbling, moving into space, head up) as a group, then players break into smaller groups to work on key concepts (passing, shooting, etc.), and finally, small-sided scrimmages are played so players can begin to learn the concepts of team play, decision-making, and spacing.