Parent Player Academy

HYR Parent Player Academy for 4 year-old players

Updated 3/8/2026

Opening weekend is this coming saturday, March 14th. The team called Seuss practices at 9:00 AM, and the team called Silverstein practices at 10:00 AM

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HYR’s program for 4 year-old players is called the Parent Player Academy. In this program, a 4 year-old player is given exposure to soccer in an age-appropriate manner through the use of exercises, drill, and game simulation led by instructors who have experience working with young children. The parents participate in the exercises and drills with the players allowing the players to experience sports and physical activity in a safe and family friendly atmosphere. The first half of each hour is dedicated to the parent and child working on drills together on the field, and the second half of the hour is dedicated to a scrimmage where the kids play and the parents cheer from the sidelines.

Children participating in the Parent Player Academy do NOT have a weeknight practice. (Bedtimes and overscheduling, etc.) Instead, they have a weekly practice/game on Saturday mornings (and two Sundays) during the soccer season at either the 9 AM or 10 AM session.

We are asking that parents select either the 9 AM session or the 10 AM session as their "Home session", but on any particular day, you may attend EITHER session. Your assigned session is a guideline, but if you oversleep one day or have a late birthday party the next time, come on whichever session works best for you.

Please fill out the form below to indicate your home session:

HYR Parent Player Academy Session Selection Form

For anyone who does not fill out the form by Friday, March 6th, we will assign you to one home session.

Optional Orientation Sept 7th

Also, we have an optional orientation for players this Saturday, March 7th at 11:00 AM at George Rogers Clark Park located at 1024 Thruston Avenue. (Our Rain Backup Plan is indoors at Highlands Community Ministries located at 1228 East Breckinridge Street. We'll communicate Saturday morning to confirm which location.) We will hand out shirts and give the kids a preview of what the season looks like without the hundreds of other players at the field at the same time. For some kids, the "What are we going to be doing next week" snapshot is a positive kickoff to the season. For anyone who does not attend, they can attend their first session and get their shirts on March 14th.

Below is the HYR map of the park. We will be on fields 1A and 1B.

hyr george rogers clark park soccer map spring 2025 v2.pdf

The season runs from March 14th through April 25th 2026. The dates are listed below:

Saturday, March 14th: 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM

SUNDAY, March 22nd: 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM

SUNDAY, March 29th: 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM

Saturday, April 4th: 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM

Saturday, April 11th: 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM

Saturday, April 18th: 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM

Saturday, April 25th: 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM

All of the sessions will be at George Rogers Clark Park located at 1024 Thruston Avenue off Poplar Level Road just south of Eastern Parkway.

If you would like to see what it looks like, watch a 90 second video if the Parent Player Academy below:

Below is a link to HYR's Equipment List (What WE provide and what YOU provide)
hyr soccer equipment list.pdf

Below is a link to a set of drills done at the Parent Player Academy

hyr parent player drills 2021.pdf

Below this line is from previous seasons
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If you would like to select your session (10 AM or 11 AM), click the form below. Anyone who does not select a session will be assigned to a session so that the numbers come out approximately even for each session. If you ever want to attend a different session on a particular day, you do not need to make any advance notice. Just show up to the different session.

Spring 2024 HYR Parent Player Academy Session Selection

Also, this Sunday, March 10th, there will be an optional orientation for the Parent Player Academy at 4:00PM at Highlands Community Ministeries. (See map link below). While the meeting is not mandatory, many kids find it helpful to have a sneak preview of WHAT they will be doing the week before they actually start doing it. At the orientation, the kids can meet the instructors, get introduced to the whistle, run a few drills, and we will hand out shirts for the players and the parents. We also will have a few sets of gently used cleats available that were donated by families that have outgrown theirs. (There will not be any other HYR teams there that day, so it may be less overwhelming for a first-timer).

If you would like to select your session (10 AM or 11 AM), click the form below. Anyone who does not select a session will be assigned to a session so that the numbers come out approximately even for each session. If you ever want to attend a different session on a particular day, you do not need to make any advance notice. Just show up to the different session.

HYR Parent Player Academy Session Selection

Also, this Saturday, September 9th, 2023 there will be an orientation for the Parent Player Academy at 11:30 AM at Atherton High School. (See map link below). While the meeting is not mandatory, many kids find it helpful to have a sneak preview of WHAT they will be doing the week before they actually start doing it. At the orientation, the kids can meet the instructors, introduce the whistle, run a few drills, and we will hand out shirts for the players and the parents. We also will have a few sets of gently used cleats available that were donated by families that have outgrown theirs. (There will not be any other HYR teams there that day, so it may be less overwhelming for a first-timer).