There are eligibility requirements in being part of "Growing up Soccer:" for players, you have spend as much or more time everyday with your
soccer ball as you do looking at a screen; that you play soccer for the pure enjoyment; that you regularly touch a soccer ball in the backyard
or at the playground, either on your own or in small-sided games with friends and neighbors; and that you ask you're mom, dad or both to take
you to watch high quality soccer matches; high school, college, amateur club and professional; especially professional.
The eligibility requirement for parents is threefold: to take the time to provide positive reinforcement for the sport and for your child's
participation in soccer. This can be achieved by understanding as much about soccer as you can, by informally evolving into a fan of the sport;
that you don't limit the support of your children to just soccer, but that you encourage their participation in other wholesome areas of interest,
may they be in sport or in other areas; and that you become engaged and connected with "Growing up Soccer," by regularly sending us a family soccer
stories with video and/or photos that document your family's casual soccer participation. It could be of your child or children demonstrating their
individual soccer skills from the backyard or playground to include: juggling, kicking, heading and passing.
The ultimate goal of "Growing up Soccer" is to assist in making the sport of soccer "an American sport pastime;" it's going to be a long-term evolving
effort. This is always going to be an informal, low pressure route towards personal player and family soccer self development, by restoring a little
bit of the "sandlot" back into the culture of play.
Colone Associates has produced the concept and development strategy. The creative and imaginative minds at Visible Motion [ www.visiblemotion.com ],
our web partner, is going to begin moving the concept off the drawing board to phase #I of the project; putting out "Growing up Soccer" initially as a
sample DVD. A key component in both the future website and developing DVD centers around regularly changing "home video and photos;" those of the
highest possible quality showing young players demonstrating "street-ball" games, soccer tricks, backyard play with mom and dad, juggling and other
personal soccer accomplishments.
The commission to Visible Motion is to create a "Growing up Soccer" website that is interactive, educational, fun, informative and innovative.
Regular reports and updates on this new direction in promoting sport interest will be presented through the "Growing up Soccer" website at: www.growingupsoccer.org.
For comment, please contact Albert Colone at 607/432-4057 or via e-mail at: albert@colassoc.com