Despite it being 8am on a Saturday morning, a roar of excitement rises from the indoor soccer pitch at The Cage Sports Park, Turf City, as our Little Lions commence their fun warmups with ANZA Soccer professional coaches Mas and Awan, helped by our awesome parent coaches.
As Age Group Coordinator (AGC) for our Group 4 children, born in 2018, I look on as these pint-sized players next break into teams and move through exercises that not only keep them engaged but also help them to develop their soccer skills, coordination, and teamwork. At the end of a fun-filled hour, stickers are handed out and there are lots of high fives and smiling, sweaty faces.
I joined ANZA soccer with my two kids in 2020. At that point during the pandemic, the government’s rules on social distancing and group sizes limited our ability to interact and play in more usual formats. Now, post-Covid, the energy and sociability of ANZA soccer is back! It’s fantastic to see so many parents joining us on the pitch as volunteers or standing on the sideline with their morning drink in hand while cheering on the kids. Meanwhile, the children are having a great time doing lively drills and energetic games that help them to build their confidence, develop team bonds, and learn the game in different fun and playful ways.
Starting each weekend at ANZA Soccer, helping out and chatting over a cuppa while the kids have a ball, has been a great way to meet other parents. I have been lucky to make some amazing friends there, which has led to many social gatherings with kids and even parents’ nights out. ANZA is a volunteer-based organisation, and we couldn’t run Little Lions without our wonderful parent volunteers. I recently took the time to find out from some parents and players what ANZA Soccer means to them and why they look forward to their Saturday mornings at the pitches.
Tim Wright, Parent Volunteer Coach
“We started with ANZA Soccer during Covid and were really impressed with how the group managed the restrictions. As a coach, I’ve enjoyed the culture and everyone’s welcoming nature, which I believe comes from the largely volunteer-led management. Although being taught how to coach football by an Australian organisation slightly dented my British pride, it’s been second to none with support and guidance from both the pro coaches and the other parent coaches.”
Ros Lillywhite, Parent Support
“We started ANZA Soccer with my son Max (age 2.5) in August, 2020. My older son Edward had already begun training with ANZA, and both he and my husband had been warmly welcomed into the 2013 age group. I volunteered to be a team parent in August 2020 and it was amazing to see the children settle despite the challenges presented by the pandemic. Fast forward two years and all of the parents are pitch-side cheering our children on, and the friendships my son and I have formed mean we really look forward to soccer each week. We’re constantly meeting new people and making new friends, and we plan to join other ANZA activities, including Athletics and Scouts, soon!”
Our Little Lions run around and have fun at different times of the day, depending on their age group:
● Group 4 (born 2018): 8am – 9am
● Group 3 (born 2019): 9am – 10am
● Group 2 (born 2020): 10am – 11am (commencing January 2023)
If you’re interested in checking out ANZA Little Lions or any
ANZA Soccer teams, please register for a free trial or sign up via the ANZA Soccer website, anza.org.sg/soccer
