We thank everyone who attended our 2022 Fridays / July Days optional practices! We had a good turn-out each session. Special thanks to the girls for dealing with some hot mornings without belly-squawking about the weather!
We have reserved a field for Junior Academy Girls practices each Friday morning in July. We call these our “Fridays / July Days” sessions. The sessions are optional “come if you can” events.
If your family is away on holiday, or your daughter has signed up to volunteer at a local animal shelter, don’t change those plans!
Quick links:
Player availability- About the sessions
- Player checklist
- July 1 session photos and video
- July 8 session photos and video
- July 15 session photos and video
- July 22 session photos and video
- July 29 session photos and video
- Past years’ sessions
Player availability:
Friday, July 29 status update: √ We have plenty of girls signed up for our final Fridays / July Days session.
If your daughter is available to join us on Friday, please e-mail Ward by Tuesday night, July 26. Check this page again Wednesday afternoon, July 27 to confirm July 29 plans. You can also check our Twitter account to confirm plans: https://twitter.com/nasajracadg.
Weather updates: If bad weather is an issue, check our Junior Academy Girls Twitter feed after 8:15 AM Friday for a status update: About the sessions:
- Dates: Fridays in July (July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29).
- Time: 9:00 – 10:30 AM.
- Place: Sessions will take place at Metro North Park on the TOPS field (the small artificial turf field to the right of the main entrance).
- Registration: If you have already registered your daughter for the NTH Junior Academy Girls program, you only need to e-mail Ward to let him know which session(s) your daughter would like to attend. We request that you notify us by the Tuesday before each Friday session.
- Cost: $0.00. We accept effort and enthusiasm, but not credit, debit or cryptocurrency.
We’ll start with tag-related dribbling games, followed by a mix of fast footwork activities (ball manipulation), balance and coordination activities, dribbling activities (ball control, changes of direction, changes of speed), plus 1-2 dribbling moves. We’ll finish each session with scrimmages, with the main themes being “keep the ball” and “keep the ball moving” (for the player who has the ball), and “spread out” and “get your shape” (for her teammates).
Player checklist:
- Girls can wear any soccer gear — it doesn’t have to be official NTH practice gear.
- Shin guards are required, and should be fully covered by soccer socks.
- No jewelry please.
- Each player should bring a soccer ball. (We use size 3 soccer balls in the Junior Academy age group.)
- Bring plenty of water with ice. If weather is sunny and hot, make sure you put your water jug in a shaded area.
July 1, 2022 session:
Photos: Check out the wet heads after a light but steady rain joined us for the second half of the session: https://wcs3.smugmug.com/NASAJrAcadG/2022-Summer/2022-Fridays-July-Days-optional-practices/
Video:
July 8, 2022 session:
Photos: https://wcs3.smugmug.com/NASAJrAcadG/2022-Summer/2022-Fridays-July-Days-optional-practices/i-fdpLkFD
Video:
July 15, 2022 session:
Photos: https://wcs3.smugmug.com/NASAJrAcadG/2022-Summer/2022-Fridays-July-Days-optional-practices/i-pccXmBT
Video:
July 22, 2022 session:
Photos: https://wcs3.smugmug.com/NASAJrAcadG/2022-Summer/2022-Fridays-July-Days-optional-practices/i-NzHgKGc
Video: delayed (technical difficulty with our YouTube channel account)
July 29, 2022 session:
Photos: https://wcs3.smugmug.com/NASAJrAcadG/2022-Summer/2022-Fridays-July-Days-optional-practices/i-bgZj5qX
Video: delayed (technical difficulty with our YouTube channel account)