GIRLS ACADEMY - MONDAY SOCCER SKILLS DEVELOPMENT CLINICS
Spring 2014
Girls Academy Skills Clinics – Overview
WHO:
GU8 Players - The travel soccer and try-out preparatory GU8 clinics are being offered to promote skill
development, and build familiarity with the Girls Academy coaches and curriculum. These sessions are being
offered to prepare the GU8 players for the Girls Academy GU9 travel soccer try-outs at the end of spring.
Recreational players who simply want to learn are welcome.
GU9-10 and GU11-13 Players - The girls weekly skills clinics enable U9 to U13 girls, not currently on a travel
team, to receive specialized soccer skill training from highly credentialed professional instructors in the Girls
Academy. The training emphasizes age-appropriate skill development training in a fun, learning
environment.
WHAT:
Each session, the players warm-up with their balls in a skills-focused environment. These extra ball touches
enhance ball control, confidence, dribbling touch, foot surface use, athletic components and coordination.
Training exercises and small-sided games promote successful skill development, tactical application, game
understanding, decision-making and team work.
WHEN:
U8 Girls: 4-5pm
U9-10 Girls: 5:15-6:15pm
U11-13 Girls: 5:15-6:15pm
DATES: Mondays, March 31, April 7, 14, 21, 28, May 5, 12, 19, June 2
RAIN MAKE-UP DATE: Expecting a rain out along the way, we secured an extra session on June 2.
We will plan to hold this session even if there are no make-up’s needed. There will be no additional makeups.
WHERE:
HARDY REC CENTER Field, on Foxhall Rd (NOT Hardy School)
Address: 1550 Foxhall Rd, Washington, DC 20007
DIRECTIONS
From American University area, take Nebraska Ave toward Sibley Hospital. Take left at the light onto Foxhall
Rd. Cross Reservoir Rd. See Hardy Rec Center field on your right, just after Q St.
(Foxhall Rd south of Q St., NW) - Map 21, B6 - Take Chain Bridge to Canal Rd. Turn left onto Arizona Ave.
Turn right onto MacArthur Blvd. Stay on MacArthur for approximately 1.5 miles. Make first left past the
reservoir onto Q St. Field is on the right. OR take the Beltway to Clara Barton Pkwy East. The Pkwy will
become Canal Rd at Chain Bridge. Stay on Canal Rd. Turn left onto Arizona Ave. Turn right onto MacArthur
Blvd. Stay on MacArthur for approximately 1.5 miles. Make the first left past the reservoir onto Q St. Field is
on the right. PLEASE OBSERVE PARKING SIGNS and PARK LEGALLY.
WHY:
These sessions are being offered to provide cutting edge training methods for recreational players in the
club. Many players end up discovering a love for the sport, developing strong skill levels, and sometimes
even decide to try-out for travel teams. All players improve tremendously in skill and insight, and in soccer
specific fitness and competitiveness.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
 Players should bring a ball and water to every session. They should wear shin guards and soccer
shoes, and should wear athletic attire.
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PLEASE COME TO THE FIELD TO PICK UP YOUR CHILD AFTER SESSIONS - CHILDREN WILL NOT BE
PERMITTED TO WALK UNACCOMPANIED TO THE PARKING - STREET OR LAB SCHOOL PARKING LOT!
RAIN OUTS Please check DC Parks and Rec website or hotline, and/or DC Stoddert website for up-todate information on field closures due to weather.
There are no forms for registration. Please register ON-LINE, and bring a copy of your receipt to the
first session. Looking forward to seeing you there.
Contact Coach Karen with questions at kckelser@yahoo.com.
INSTRUCTOR BIOS
Karen Kelser (703-969-5669, kckelser@yahoo.com)
Karen is the Girls Technical Director for the club. She holds the USSF National A level Coaching License,
USSF National Youth License, KNVB Dutch Youth Coaching Diploma, and the NSCAA Advanced National
Coaching License. She is a VYSA Coaching Education Instructor for state licensing coaching courses, is also
GU11-12 Age Group Director for the Girls' Academy Player Development Program and Girls Academy
Summer Training Camp. She has been a Regional Director for Coervor Coaching of Virginia, and has worked
extensively for Coerver Coaching. Karen was the DCSSL Coach of the Year for 2006. She played NCAA Div. I
soccer at GWU and has head coached at Marymount University, MD Olympic Development Program, girls'
and boys' travel teams and has coached at all school levels.
Khaled Hamami
Khaled is the GU9-10 Girls Academy Age Group Director. Khaled holds the USSF A level coaching license, the
USSF National Youth License, and the NSCAA goalkeeping Diploma. He was the Coach of the Year in 2009.
He is a former professional player and National Youth Team player from Yemen, Khaled has also worked as
a Coerver Staff Coach, and works with the Girls Academy Summer Training Camp. He has instructed the
DCSSL Travel Goalkeeping Clinics, has head coached travel teams at many ages.
Mavis Danso
Coach Mavis played 8 years for Ghana's Women's National Team, and has played in two Women's World
Cups. She played professionally here in the US for 3 years for FC Indiana. She hold the National D License,
and will be waived in the B License shortly. She is a GU9-10 age band coach in the academy. She has also
coached GU11-12 teams in our club, and older WAGS teams in the area, and she works coaching in the club's
Girls Weekly Clinics. She is great with all ages and levels of players, especially younger players.