Courses

Courses are set up to maximize the cross-aged mentoring experience. Just as older students can help mentor younger students with the 3 Rs (Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic), Instepper Courses will help mentors improve mentees’ FUNdamentals on the field.

Framework

Instepper recommends a course follow the guidelines below. However, the framework can be easily modified to meet the needs of everyone involved.

  • 10 lessons spread out over 5 or 10 weeks.
  • Each lesson is 30 minutes long.
  • The mentor-to-mentee ratio is either 1:1 or 1:2.
  • Homework is assigned after each lesson.
  • A video is taken at the start and end of each course to document improvement.
  • Mentors are typically in high school or college.
  • Mentees are typically K-8.
Expectations

Mentees

  • Listen and respect your mentor(s).
  • Ask questions.
  • Do your homework.
    • Ultimately, you will be responsible for how good a player you become.
  • Have FUN!

Mentors

  • Recognize/understand that you are experts and have all the knowledge/expertise to mentor the FIRST-TOUCH.
  • Make sure the mentee and you are having fun.
  • Challenge the mentee.
  • Encourage and value mentee mistakes as well as your own.
  • Mentor the way you would have liked to have been mentored.
  • Be adaptable. Not all mentees learn the same way or at the same pace.
  • Be creative. Be different. Be unique.
  • Take the best aspects of your coaches, mix in your own personality, and make each session your own.
  • Communicate effectively with your mentees and their parents.
  • Communicate with fellow mentors to improve Mentors services.
  • You should be compensated for your services.
    • Mentee parents.
    • Club credits.
    • Community service hours.
    • Fundraising donations.
curriculum

Each mentee should start with this FIRST-TOUCH Introductory course (using the insides-of-the-feet).

  • Lesson 1: Intros, assessment, “Before” video
  • Lesson 2: Introduce Heart & SOUL
  • Lesson 3: Baseball bat vs pool noodle
  • Lesson 4: Second-Touch … passing
  • Lesson 5: Goldilocks Zone … first-touch ends up with the ball coming to rest in an ideal location (the Goldilocks Zone)
  • Lesson 6: Get into the rhythm. Introduce music for more rhythm and fluidity
  • Lesson 7: Baseball Glove. Players have 2 “gloves” on their feet to better receiving/catch balls
  • Lesson 8: Receiving harder passes
  • Lesson 9: Receiving higher passes
  • Lesson 10: Putting it all together; “After” video

Homework assigned after each lesson and reviewed at the start of the next lesson.

other courses
  • Receiving high balls/passes.
  • Receiving fast-paced balls/passes.
  • Receiving with other parts of the feet and other body parts.
  • Passing.
  • Playing heads-up soccer (playing with your head up).
  • Soccer speak (verbal and non-verbal communication).
  • Increase soccer IQ.
  • Goalkeeper FIRST-TOUCHES.
  • Improve “Instepper Challenge” performances (times, scores, etc).
  • Pee-Wees (2-5 year olds).
  • Many, many more.