The Houston Independent School District has partnered with the Houston Dynamo to provide students with virtual soccer lessons during summer school.
Beginning Monday, June 8 through the Clever Portal, Kindergarten through 6th-grade students can access Diesel’s Skill Builders, presented by Tom Byer’s Soccer Starts at Home. The program will offer daily video lessons featuring Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash players and coaches demonstrating various soccer skills.
The Diesel’s Skill Builders program uses Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash trained staff to teach children age-appropriate “Ball Mastery” exercises and games, with the goal of enhancing both physical and cognitive development in young children.
“I am thankful for this incredible partnership with our hometown professional soccer clubs, the Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash,” Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “It’s imperative for our students to remain engaged both academically and physically over the summer. This forward-thinking, research-based initiative will provide thousands of our students with opportunities to participate in physical fitness activities while learning a few valuable soccer tips from the pros.”
The month-long virtual program will include daily instructional and motivational videos featuring Houston Dynamo and Dash players and coaches showing students the various skills that they will be learning including ball mastery and brain mastery. Research has shown skill acquisition at an early age enhances learning of all kinds. Even 15-30 minutes a day in the Soccer Starts at Home program provides many physical, emotional, and cognitive benefits.
The program will also supply students with a digital program checklist that includes daily practice time, skill development, and tips for parents. Parents have access to a Parent Video Tutorial and the Soccer Starts at Home Resource page.P
“It is very exciting to have a strategic development partner such as HISD, which is the largest school district in Texas,” Houston Dynamo Academy Director Paul Holocher said. “Being able to provide a physical and educational program like Soccer Starts at Home to thousands of young kids and families is truly special. We want to develop a program that is fun for the kids and insightful for parents, and it is the engagement between parent and child that is so powerful at these early ages, and the home is the key to the culture of development.”
Diesel’s Skill Builders looks to help improve early childhood development through the education and engagement of parents, schools, and clubs.