Source: Ripon Internet
Every parent wants their young child to learn and grow to the best of their potential, and for them to have fun and make friends at the same time.
In Ripon, parents and pre-school children can attend the Socatot classes at Hugh Ripley Hall that are run by local resident Brian McNair. But what can football classes teach our kids...apart from how to play football?
Socatots is a nationwide phenomenon that was first developed in Leeds by Simon Clifford, a former English teacher. He imported Brazilian soccer skills and training methods into the UK and then used them as a basis to develop the Brazilian Soccer Schools and the Socatots programme. The emphasis in Brazilian style training is on ball skills, footwork and improving a player’s affinity with the ball. Of course a child attending the classes will significantly improve their footie skills, but as Socatots was developed for pre-schoolers - its not just all about football!
As well as making the classes attractive to children who already enjoy football, they appeal to many children, both boys and girls, as they are active, fun and engaging. The football skills are used as a medium to stimulate other areas of learning and development in a safe and creative way.
Parents are involved in the classes and help their child with many of the exercises, which include essentials such as basic counting, colour and shape recognition. Through the various activities and exercises, the children can build on their communication skills by learning how to listen, follow instructions, concentrate and work both as part of a team and as individuals. Fitness, balance, motor skills and co-ordination are all improved. In these ways, Socatots offers children a way of enhancing their physical, social and educational skills from an early age before they attend school, which can have a positive impact on their self-confidence.
“All the children receive a matching Socatots uniform which they love,” says Brian, who has two young children of his own, “it makes them feel part of a team so this helps them interact with the other ‘team members’.” At the end of the session, each child is awarded a new sticker to put in their Socatots book to show what they’ve achieved and a round of applause from their team, which makes the kids beam from ear to ear.
Brian runs Socatots classes in Ripon at Hugh Ripley Hall for age groups 2 to 3 years and 3 to 5 years on Wednesdays and Fridays. If you cannot attend during the week, Brian also runs Socatots sessions in Thirsk on Saturdays. So if you have a budding Beckham in the family, whether a boy or girl, call Brian for more details or to book, or visit his website.
“Positive encouragement to aid learning is what our sessions are all about,” continues Brian, “and hopefully all the children will go on to have healthy active lifestyles in the future and enjoy playing football...maybe even at professional level!”
At the moment Brazilian Soccer School classes are available for boys and girls of any ability from school age to 9 years (upper age limit will increase to 16 years).
“The emphasis in these sessions is developing improved ball control and football skills that can be incorporated into competitive games,” says Brian. Each complex skill is broken down into simple steps that are easily learned by the children, who repeat the steps until they become very accomplished. First they do this individually, then with partners, then they play against each other in small sided games incorporating the skills they have learned. Contact Brian MacNair on 01765 620374 (mobile 07811 109437) email him at
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or visit www.socatots.com/york&ripon
Brazilian Soccer Schools is much more than just developing technical skills as more and more players are graduating from Brazilian Soccer Schools into professional football clubs. Micah Richards (Manchester City), John Bostock (Tottenham Hotspur) and Aiden White, who at 17 years old has broken into the Leeds United first team, are all examples of professional players who have graduated from Brazilian Soccer Schools.
Vincent has been going to Socatot classes, then BSS, for almost two years. His father says “He practises all the time at home and he just loves the classes! Brian is incredible - he keeps the kids entertained whilst they are learning, and he’s very fair and encourages them all. I noticed Vincent really improve after just the first couple of lessons.”
Learning respect for others and good manners is also a part of the ethos of the classes, as it is with Socatots. The children learn how to listen, follow instructions and communicate more effectively and how to play in the games with an edge of competitiveness yet still show good sportsmanship.
Brazilian Soccer School sessions run after school on Wednesday and on Saturday afternoons in Ripon at St. Wilfrids Primary School. So if you have a football enthusiast in the family, whether a boy or girl, call Brian on 01765 620374 or email
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for more details. |
