FAQs
What age should I start my child in Palms Kickers?
Any age is a good age to start football! Palms Kickers caters for ages 2 years up to 16 years, and our primary goal is to make football fun, skill acquisition follows. Registering your child as early as 2 years will start to help build their cooperation, sharing, team work skills; confidence and social skills; decision making and problem solving; cognitive skills; balance, flexibility and strengths and each year thereafter we build on these skills. Regardless of the age our focus to start is on building each child’s confidence and love of the game so they want to come to football each week. Between the ages of 2 years and 4 years depending on the child, they may need more involvement and support on the field from a friend or family member to feel confident so we encourage involvement at this age.
Why should I start my child in Palms Kickers before starting their first season of football?
“The first season of organised sports can be overwhelming for a kid.. in this age bracket it can take most of the season just to get some kids on the field, let alone understanding the game and its rules” “Junior Palmys aims to show 4 to 6 year olds how fun team sports can be and get them to fall in love with football so they can hit the ground running in their first season.”- Coach Jamie Collins
Palms Kickers programs focus on ball mastery and skills acquisition to help take their players to the next step with football. While football teaches co-operation, concentration, confidence and communication.
Will any Palms Kickers program be beneficial for my child?
Whilst the term programs are the most beneficial for ball mastery and skills acquisition as they span over a 9 week period. Palms Kickers also offers Holiday Camps which are a condense version of the term and can help those ready to start the season as an introduction or refresher, the camps will help children who haven’t done any ball sports before the season to start to build their ball skills, flexibility, balance and strength for the season ahead. The Elite program provides a tailor based approach based on individual needs and football aspirations.
What benefit is the Elite program?
Palms Kickers Elite is a one-on-one or small group program that allows our Head Coach Jamie Collins to design sessions for individuals. It can focus on building confidence and social skills, or ball mastery and skill acquisition. Palms Kickers through discussions with both parents and children will tailor the program to individual needs and football aspirations.
Are the age groups for each program set or flexible? Can a Player change age groups mid term?
Palms Kickers are flexible and age groups are a guide only. Our coaches are happy to be guided by parents who know their children best and players can trial in older age groups, coaches will provide advice and work with parents about changing age groups. Changes can be made mid term is positions are still available in the squad.
Can i drop and go?
For Palmy Cubs and Little Palmys it is recommended as they start their season parents remain to supervise and potentially get involved on the field. Palms Kickers is happy with “drop and go” for all age groups once the child is comfortable.
What happens if it rains, the fields are wet or extreme heat is forecast?
Palms Kickers aim is to always have a ball at your childs feet, but decisions during wet weather will be made with your childs safety in mind. We have committed to a wet weather session at the end of term. However we will always endeavour to transfer to an indoor or undercover location, or schedule a postponed session for a weekend.
We will make a decision by Sunday evening regarding both the Palmy Cubs and the Little Palmys, wet weather sessions will be moved for both age groups to Pacific Palms Community Centre.
MidCoast Council decides at 2pm whether they will close the Pacific Palms Sporting Fields due to rain, Palms Kickers will make a decision regarding the session at this time. For Junior Palmys, Junior and Under 10’s Skill Development squads, if it is safe to do so and the field is open we may continue with the session in the wet, should the field be closed wet weather sessions will be moved to Pacific Palms Primary School.
In the event of extreme heat, the above will also apply. For sessions in heat that continue additional measure will be taken including additional water breaks, additional shade structures for players to rest, eskys for players drink bottles and on those really hot days we’ll bring along ice blocks.
Please follow us on Instagram @palmskickers for any decisions regarding the weather.