Building Vertical Alignment:  Third grade marks a pivotal transition in a child’s educational journey. At this stage, students move from learning to read to reading to learn, which requires a deeper understanding of complex texts and critical thinking skills. By focusing on vertical alignment, Nexus ensures that the curriculum in third grade seamlessly connects with the content and skills taught in fourth and fifth grades. This structured progression helps students build a strong academic foundation, making future learning more coherent and effective.

Preparing for Rigorous Academics and Athletics: Third grade is a critical year for cognitive and physical development. Children at this age are capable of handling more structured and challenging academic material, including advanced mathematics, science, and language arts. Simultaneously, their physical abilities are rapidly developing, making it an ideal time to introduce more structured athletic training. Nexus’s third-grade program is designed to balance these academic and athletic demands, ensuring that students are well-prepared to excel in both areas as they advance to higher grades.
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Teaching Executive Functioning Skills: Executive functioning skills are crucial for success as a student-athlete. In third grade, students begin to develop essential skills such as time management, goal setting, organization, and self-regulation. Nexus integrates these skills into both the academic and athletic programs, helping students learn how to balance their responsibilities effectively. By fostering these abilities at a young age, Nexus empowers students to manage their time efficiently, set and achieve personal and academic goals, and maintain focus both in the classroom and on the soccer field.

Building a Strong Foundation Aligned with Goals: A strong foundational curriculum is key to long-term success. Nexus’s third-grade program is meticulously aligned with our overarching academic and soccer objectives. Academically, the curriculum focuses on core subjects, ensuring that students master fundamental concepts and skills. In soccer, the emphasis is on developing proper techniques, understanding game strategies, and fostering a love for the sport. This alignment ensures consistency in teaching methods and learning outcomes, providing students with a clear and structured path toward achieving their educational and athletic goals.

Molding Proper Futbol Individual Technique: Technical skill development is paramount in early soccer training. Third grade is the ideal time to instill proper fútbol techniques and a strategic approach to the game. Nexus’s coaching staff focuses on teaching fundamental skills such as dribbling, passing, shooting, and defending, while also emphasizing the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, and tactical awareness. By refining these skills at a critical developmental stage, Nexus ensures that students develop a solid technical foundation that will support their growth as skilled and intelligent soccer players.

Skill Acquisition and Refinement: Early adolescence is the optimal time for skill acquisition in sports. During the U9 and U10 years, children are highly adaptable and can learn new skills more easily. This period is ideal for introducing and refining foundational soccer techniques, ensuring that players develop good habits and proper form that will benefit them in the long term.
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Love for the Game and Long-Term Engagement: Fostering a love for soccer at a young age encourages long-term participation. By providing a positive and engaging soccer experience during the U9 and U10 years, Nexus helps students develop a passion for the sport. Enjoyment and enthusiasm at this stage are critical for maintaining interest and commitment to soccer as they grow older and face more competitive environments.

Preparing for Competitive Play: The U9 and U10 years are preparatory stages for competitive soccer. By the time students reach these ages, they are often preparing to enter more competitive leagues and teams. Nexus’s specialized training programs during third grade provide the necessary foundation for students to compete effectively, enhancing their chances of success in higher-level competitions and academy selections.  Third grade aligns perfectly with this critical period, providing students with the opportunity to try out for pre-academy, pre-ECNL, and pre-MLS teams.