Toddlers start football training - at 18 months
Amy Glendinning, Manchester Evening News, September 19, 2009

THEIR dribbling skills are already impressive - and now these toddlers are being taught football skills.

The youngsters have enrolled on a coaching course at just 18 months old in a bid to one day be the new Ryan Giggs or Carlos Tevez.

Little Kickers classes for children up to the age of two were launched at Cavendish Road Primary School, in West Didsbury earlier this month, and have been a huge success.

Dressed in mini-football strips, the tots are learning ball control, including all about running with the ball, passing and even goal-scoring.

Coach Chris McManus said the children - and their parents - love the lessons.

"Before I started the classes, I was a bit unsure what you could teach an 18-month-old," he said. "But they learn loads and remember all the games we teach them.

Fun

"We have a kick-about at the beginning with all the parents and then after a warm up they learn things like dribbling and stopping the ball.

"And they really love scoring against their parents - although the grown-ups have to stand still in goal with their legs apart," said 21-year-old Chris.

The Little Kicker classes were started by lifelong Manchester United fan and mum-of-two Alex Leete, who lives in Stockport.

Alex, mum to Georgia, five, and Arun, three, began running classes for older children in March last year.

But she felt younger children were missing out . . . and as far as she's concerned, they're never too young to start on the long road to Wembley.

"It's all about having fun," she said. "I decided to start them in Manchester when I couldn't find any football classes for my daughter.

"But the younger children really love them and they have really taken off."

For more information about Little Kickers contact Alex on aleete@littlekickers.co.uk

 

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