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Hopewell Junction isn’t normally considered a hotbed for soccer talent.
But it will be this Saturday, when Sport and Wellness hosts an open house to announce the launch of F.A.S.T. (Fitness Agility Speed Training), a new program geared toward youth soccer players of all ages and skill levels.
What makes F.A.S.T. unique is that incorporates other sports – like tennis – with similar skill sets into its training regimen. The idea is to create a more comprehensive and enjoyable program for kids during the winter months. As a bonus, Elie Ikangu of Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls will be on hand at the open house, signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans. Also appearing will be the popular Red Bulls Street Team, a freestyle soccer group that specializes in soccer showmanship. Official team merchandise and a 2008 Opening Day family ticket package to Giants Stadium will be given away as prizes.
The festivities kick off at 1 p.m.
“I think this will really help keep kids in the game during the off-season,” said Scott Hazlewood, director of marketing and communications for Sport and Wellness Group of Clubs CT and NY. “Coaches love the idea. They say it’s like we’re borrowing their kids so that they can come back in April as better players.”
The open house will feature non-stop mini-demonstration clinics where all soccer players will take part in a live “sneak preview” of the F.A.S.T multi-sports fitness and training program. All players should come ready to play in sneakers and appropriate athletic attire.
“The kids will get to experience what (F.A.S.T.) will be like in real life,” said Hazlewood. “This is not a ‘what-if’ scenario.”
F.A.S.T. will feature a multi-faceted program that focuses on warm-up and stretching to start, followed by footwork, speed and core and leg strength drills. Each one-hour session will end with games of skill and performance followed by cool-down exercises. The clinic will take place over 10 weeks and players will be divided into manageable groups based on age and ability level.
“We created F.A.S.T. with one purpose in mind – to provide youth soccer players with a new and different indoor program that is complimentary to their traditional outdoor soccer regimen,” said Lex Kessler, the owner/operator of Sport and Wellness. “We want to return them in the spring as better fit players.”
Hazlewood also said that one of the impetuses for implementing the program was the high rate at which kids have been getting injured during the soccer season. “Sport and Wellness has on-site certified tennis and fitness instructors as well as real soccer coaches,” he said. “These are not volunteers. The kids will be getting a well thought-out strategy over their 10-week session. And with the multi-sport component, it’s a very progressive approach.”
He admits though, that F.A.S.T. is a work-in-progress, but one which fills a real need for the more than 20,000 youth soccer players across Dutchess County.
“This is a brand-new thing,” said Hazlewood. “Not many major clubs are offering this kind of program, particularly toward the soccer community. It’s evolutionary and revolutionary. We’ll be assessing it on a weekly basis.”
Sessions will begin on Nov. 19. For more information, visit www.fastyouthsports.com or www.sportandwellness.net.
