In early September we launched our new Soccer IN School program with our friends at Samuel Tucker Elementary. ASA coaches taught soccer skills, laws of the game and more during a two week physical education (P.E.) unit focused on all things soccer.
Backed by U.S. Soccer’s Innovate to Grow initiative, this program is a collaboration between ASA, ACPS and the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA), ultimately bringing a soccer unit into every second grade ACPS P.E. class this school year.
Jim Hogan, Deputy Director of Tournaments & Programs at ASA said, “It’s been exciting to see the new Soccer in School program kick off. This initiative is the result of months of hard work and collaboration and it’s incredibly rewarding to see it come to life. Watching second graders out on the field — active, engaged, and smiling — truly captures the spirit of what we’re striving for—making soccer fun, inclusive, and accessible for all.”
ASA and VYSA collaborated closely with Kristin Donley, Health / Physical Education Specialist at ACPS, when planning the structure and curriculum of this program. She provided guidance, helped create the schedule, communicated with schools and was an invaluable champion.
The Soccer IN School program includes modules led by licensed coaches, introductions to refereeing and the “laws of the game,” visits from local professional players, and specially crafted “Soccer Skills Challenge” take-home kits complete with a soccer ball, jersey and skills activity dice.
At Samuel Tucker Elementary, 131 second graders participated in the two week unit. The energy was high as students navigated basic dribbling drills, engaged in fun partner exercises and small sided games, and explored what it means to be part of a team.
Martin Ozores, leading this program on the ground for ASA, reflected that, “Samuel Tucker was the IDEAL place to kick off our Soccer in School program! Not only were the kids incredibly well behaved, they approached each new day of soccer with an open mind and enthusiasm to learn new things!”
This year, just over 1,300 second grade students will participate in the program, learning skills that are aligned with physical education standards and designed to promote school engagement, better attendance, and a passion for sport. The initiative also provides professional development for PE teachers, offering hands-on training through U.S. Soccer coaching educators so that the program’s impact extends beyond its two-week span. This program would not be possible without the support and enthusiasm of the P.E. teachers!
Martin noted, “I was impressed with the help from Miss Grutza and the rest of the P.E. Staff at Samuel Tucker. Their efforts to ensure the players had the best experience possible and that our coaches felt supported in every way was noticeable. Miss Grutza went out of her way to help us prepare the take home bags for the kids with ASA jerseys, soccer balls, stickers, and registration info for additional programming!”
Soccer IN School is about more than just soccer skills and activities—it’s an opportunity to promote social skills, sportsmanship, and active habits, with the ultimate goal of transitioning kids into ASA’s Recreational League or other soccer programming outside of school. As Samuel Tucker students wrapped up their two week unit our coaches observed not just better footwork, but also teamwork, confidence and joy.
Milos Stefanovic, ASA soccer coach, said, “My experience at Samuel Tucker was phenomenal! I loved teaching the kids, getting to know their names, and seeing how excited they were to come out to the field for each new session, to show us their skills and what they’d learned! This is a fantastic way to introduce the game to kids at a pivotal age, to prepare them and give them confidence to sign up for soccer programs outside of school!”
This program is funded and planned through the next three school years and ASA’s team looks forward to working with a new group of second graders each year, while also helping transition program graduates to other play opportunities! Johnatan Nunez, ASA’s Outreach and School program manager said, “Soccer IN Schools is helping us grow the game we love, deepen connections with ACPS and VYSA, and inspire the next generation of players. This is just the beginning!”
Jim reminded us, “With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, there’s no better time to introduce more kids to the beautiful game and build a lasting love for soccer right here in our Alexandria community.”
