Child Development Fueled By Fun!
(ages 18 months to 9 years old)
About Lil' Kickers
Lil’ Kickers classes are carefully curated and wildly fun. Classes are led by high-energy coaches and packed with creative games structured to help kids tackle age-appropriate developmental milestones. Rooted in renowned child development theories, our innovative curriculum provides kids ages 18 months to 9 years the skills they need to learn soccer and grow as individuals, all while having a blast. Come see why more than a million kids nationwide love our program!
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING
“My son has made so many friends and had a great time playing soccer. Lil’ Kickers is a tremendous program!”
– Viviana B.
Upcoming Winter Session
November 11th - March 2nd (13 weeks)
· No class from November 25th through December 1st
· No class from December 23rd through January 5th
• Priority Registration opens on October 5th
• General Registration opens on October 14th
Current Fall Session
August 12th - November 10th
Join at any time! We have open enrollment and will prorate the cost of the season if you join late!
Bunnies
18-24 Months - Parent/Child
Bunnies
18-24 Months - Parent/Child
thumpers
24-36 Months - Parent/Child
thumpers
24-36 Months - Parent/Child
Thumpers classes are designed specifically for the needs of children 24 to 36 (2-3 years) months old. The classes use fun games, activities, and sensory tools to help the older toddler learn how to integrate into a structured and group learning environment and build fundamental social, cognitive, and physical skills, all the while learning beginning soccer skills. Parent participation is required.
COTTONTAILS
2.5 Years - 3.5 Years - Transitional Parent/Child
COTTONTAILS
2.5 Years - 3.5 Years - Transitional Parent/Child
Cottontails is a transitional class designed for children 30 to 42 months old (2.5-3.5 years) who are ready for more of a challenge than a Thumpers class, but who are not quite ready for the independence of being on the field without a parent or caregiver. The Cottontails curriculum is designed to build fundamental skills such as balance and coordination, while implementing beginner soccer, and simultaneously offers another component: helping your child build a sense of autonomy. As children progress through the session and become ready for more independence, parents begin to transition to a less active role in the class. Parent participation is required.
hoppers
3-4 Years - Beginner
hoppers
3-4 Years - Beginner
jACKRABBITS
3-4 Years - Intermediate
jACKRABBITS
3-4 Years - Intermediate
Jackrabbits is an intermediate class that is designed for children ages 3 to 4 years old who have already been through the Hoppers curriculum, are used to a structured environment, can focus on listening, following multi-step directions, and sharing while cultivating a sense of teamwork, helping them progress from a “me” view of the world to a “we” view of the world. These classes equip children with essential skills for both on and off the soccer field. They will develop and build physical coordination and agility, but more importantly, they will acquire skills for social interactions and school readiness.
BIG FEET
5-6 Years - Beginner
Big Feet is a beginner class that introduces 5 and 6 year olds to the game of soccer by helping them develop the emotional, social, and physical readiness to play soccer and other team sports. This class provides an ideal setting for those players who are new to the game, who are a little less coordinated, who are shy, who are working on improving their listening and following directions skills, who have a less competitive nature, or who just aren’t ready to engage in team soccer. Big Feet classes use fun and creative age-appropriate activities to develop basic soccer skills such as dribbling, passing, trapping, and scoring while helping players build confidence and develop a better understanding of teamwork. Some non-competitive scrimmages, introduced halfway through a session, are played to enhance the learning process by bringing what they have learned so far in class to life.
BIG FEET
5-6 Years - Beginner
Big Feet is a beginner class that introduces 5 and 6 year olds to the game of soccer by helping them develop the emotional, social, and physical readiness to play soccer and other team sports. This class provides an ideal setting for those players who are new to the game, who are a little less coordinated, who are shy, who are working on improving their listening and following directions skills, who have a less competitive nature, or who just aren’t ready to engage in team soccer. Big Feet classes use fun and creative age-appropriate activities to develop basic soccer skills such as dribbling, passing, trapping, and scoring while helping players build confidence and develop a better understanding of teamwork. Some non-competitive scrimmages, introduced halfway through a session, are played to enhance the learning process by bringing what they have learned so far in class to life.
MICRO CLASSES
Micro 4-5
Micro 4-5 is an intermediate class that is for children who are 4 and 5 years old, who are ready to expand their soccer skills and are looking for slightly more of a challenge. Classes are designed to physically, emotionally, and socially prepare children for team soccer. Creative activities are inclusive of teaching children soccer skills while having fun and are combined with non-competitive scrimmages to teach players fundamental skills as well as help them develop an understanding of teamwork, team dynamics, and improve their soccer IQ.
Micro 6-7
Micro 6-7 is an intermediate class that is designed for 6 and 7 year olds, and use a combination of creative and soccer inclusive games, skill drills, and scrimmages to help prepare players for league play. Classes focus both on building fundamental skills (such as dribbling, passing, trapping, and shooting), and on teaching players how and when to apply these skills in game situations, thus expanding their soccer IQ and their understanding of a team dynamic. Coaches will also work to instill a strong work ethic and a strong sense of teamwork and sportsmanship within each child.
Micro 8-9
Micro 8-9 is an beginner class that is designed for 8 and 9 year olds who are ready to grow their soccer skills. Class uses a combination of creative and soccer inclusive games, skill drills, and scrimmages to help prepare players for league play. Classes focus both on building fundamental skills (such as dribbling, passing, trapping, and shooting), and on teaching players how and when to apply these skills in game situations, thus expanding their soccer IQ and their understanding of a team dynamic. Coaches will also work to instill a strong work ethic and a strong sense of teamwork and sportsmanship within each child.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Create a Daysmart account or log into your existing account.
- Use the “Register” menu to choose which child you want to sign up and what class you want to register them for.
- You must register and pay for an entire session, we do not offer individual classes.
- Sessions are one class a week for 10 to 13 weeks total depending on the program.
- Want to try out program without the commitment? Try a free class here.
Lil’ Kickers
- Lil’ Kickers classes on the weekday mornings and afternoons (Monday-Friday) are $19 per class.
- Lil’ Kickers classes on the weekends (Saturday and Sunday) are $20 per class.
Membership Fee
- $60 Annual Lil’ Athletes Membership is required. (Good for 1 year from date of purchase.)
- With your membership, you will receive a program specific jersey. We ask that you have your child wear this jersey when they come to class!
Payment Plan
- Pay as you play! Enroll your child today and pay for the season with installments*. It’s instant gratification knowing that your child is going to have a blast while keeping your budget happy, too. Simply select the “payment plan” when checking out. *A low-cost service fee will be applied.
YES! Lil’ Athletes has open enrollment!
- You are able to join any Lil’ Kickers class in progress, in any week you would like for the remainder of the session. (Based on availability.)
- For those enrolling after the first week of the session, the price will be prorated so you will only be paying for the remaining classes in the session.
- Note: A child cannot be added to a Cottontails (2.5-3.5yr) class after week 6 due the programs progressive curriculum and transitional nature.
- Classes take place once a week, at the same time every week, and are 50 minutes long.
- Example: If you pick Thumpers on Wednesdays at 10:30am-11:20am, you would come to that class, on that day, and at that time for the entire season.
- We run 4 seasons in a year (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) that are between 10-13 weeks long.
- You must register for an entire season, individual classes are not available.
Click here to view the most updated version of the class schedule.
YES! Lil’ Athletes offers one free trial class per child, per sport (can do Lil’ Hoopsters and either Lil’ Kickers OR Skills Institute).
- Free Trial classes are only available to children that haven’t participated in a Lil’ Kickers, Lil’ Hoopsters, Lil’ Sluggers, or Skills Institute class for at least 365 days since the previous free trial or end of their most recent session. Any class attended after the free trial will need to be paid for.
- You must schedule a free trial using our scheduling site Acuity. Once the free trial is scheduled, the confirmation is automatic and you should receive an email confirmation.
- After scheduling a free trial through Acuity, you must create a Daysmart account for you and your child, and sign a waiver for you and your child.
Lil’ Athletes offers make-up classes for the amount of classes you may miss in a single session.
- Refunds will NOT be given for any missed/unused classes.
- Make Ups must happen within the current season session. Make Ups do not roll over into the next season.
- You must schedule a make up using our scheduling site Acuity. Once the make up is scheduled, the confirmation is automatic and you should receive an email confirmation.
Customers may transfer their child to a different at any point in the session.
- All class transfers depend upon availability.
- There may be a difference in price when a child is transferred. (ex. weekday to weekend)
- Email [email protected] to request a transfer.
For Free Trials- Check in at the Sports City front desk before heading to class.. Please arrive before the class begins. If you are more than 5 minutes late for the start of class, we will not let you attend the free trial at that time, but would be happy to have you reschedule. We want your child to get the most out of their trial!
For Make Ups- Check in at the Sports City front desk before heading to class to received your Lil’ Athletes class pass.
For Those Enrolled- You can head straight out to your field to check in with your coach.
A parent or guardian of each child must remain on-site at all times during class
- Sports City does not assume the responsibility to supervise any siblings or friends of the Lil’ Kickers, Skills Institute, or Lil’ Hoopsters participants.
We ask that all parents and siblings stay off the field during class.
- Exception; parent child participation classes may have one parent per child out on the field as their partner. No siblings please, unless they are an infant in an over the shoulder baby carrier.
Clothing
- We ask that your child comes to class in comfortable clothes and shoes that are easy to run around in. Our Lil’ Kickers uniform (shirt and/or shorts) are popular to wear to class. You can get/purchase your class uniform at the Sports City front desk.
Shoes
- Soccer- no cleats! Cleats are not allowed on our turf fields.
- Closed toe shoes such as tennis shoes or running shoes are fine. No open toed shoes.
Shin Guards (Soccer)
- We strongly recommend that any child 4 and older wear shin guards and long socks for safety as the children learn the game.
Water
- Please bring a labeled bottle of water for your child.
Sports City and Poppy Bank Epicenter have a zero-tolerance policy for outside food and drinks.
- Only water is allowed.
- We have food and drink options available via self-serve machines and from Victory House Sports Bar & Restaurant.
Our classes are fairly popular and tend to fill up. If you were not able to enroll in your preferred class, day, and time, please check out our other class options during the week to see what else may work for your schedule.
- Waitlists are not ensured to be added to class, not ensured a spot, and not ensured that a space will open up for them. No spaces in any class are guaranteed without payment.
- If a spot happens to open up and you are at the top of the waitlist, the Lil’ Athletes Coordinator will reach out to you. If no one has contacted you, there is currently not a spot available. If you are contacted and you do not answer or complete payment for the spot, you will be passed up as the Coordinator will reach out to the next people on the waitlist.
If a class is attended or the class time/day have passed, no refund will be issued for that class.
- If a refund is requested after the first 7 days of the session start date, you may only receive an account credit. This credit will stay on your Daysmart account and can be used for other Lil’ Athletes sessions and/or other Sports City events. (Credit cannot be used on the other side of the building. Sports City Daysmart credit can only be used at Sports City).
- After week 6 of the session, refunds/account credits can no longer be issued.
- Lil’ Athletes Annual Membership in non-transferable and non-refundable.
- Refunds are requests. Refunds/account credit is not ensured and are at discretion of the Lil’ Athletes Coordinator.
- Lil’ Athletes Annual Membership and Payment Plan Deposit is non-transferable and non-refundable.
- Please email us at [email protected] to request a refund transaction. Refunds are only dealt with by email.
Classes are subject to be cancelled if there is low enrollment.
- Classes with less than 3 children will be cancelled before week 3 of each session.
- Classes that are closed due to low enrollment, we will first look to transfer the child to another class. If nothing else works for you, you will receive a refund for the remaining classes in the season from the date of the class closing.
The following discounts are applied once per full session:
- Multiple Class Discount: Defined by a child who is enrolled in more than one class per week for a minimum of 8 weeks out of a session. Participants will receive $20 off.
- Sibling Discount: Siblings are defined as children that reside in the same household and are under the care of the same parent/guardian. The sibling discount is $20 off for each child after the first is “paid in full” for at least 8 weeks of a session. Discount only applies when the children are enrolled in the same session.
- Graton Team Member Discount: 25% off our Lil Athletes classes (Monday through Friday classes only.) Must be enrolled in at least 8 weeks of the session. Discount for Graton employees can ONLY be given when shown their ID badge.
YES! View all of Poppy Bank Epicenter job listings to apply to be a Lil’ Athletes Coach.
- Must be 16 or older.
- Saturday and Sunday morning shifts (7:45am-12:45pm) are both required to work here.
- Weekday morning and/or afternoon availability is an added bonus (not required)!
- We are looking for people who are positive, energetic, enthusiastic, friendly, and most importantly- good with kids.
- This is not a typical sports program! This is a child development program that uses the sports of soccer and basketball to grow the child as a whole.
- If this sounds like you, then you could be the right person for this job!
Pets/animals are prohibited inside Sports City and all of Poppy Bank Epicenter.
- Emotional support animals/pets are not allowed inside the facility. Service dogs are welcome.
- Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
Try a free class!
About Lil' Athletes
“Lil’ Athletes is a child development sports program comprised of Lil’ Kickers, Lil’ Hoopsters, and Skills Institute. These programs teach children life skills and have an emphasis in growing your child as a whole person. With thoroughly researched and age appropriate curriculum, this nationally renowned program is known for helping children develop cognitively, physically, emotionally and socially. Come for the sport, stay for the development.”
