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Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:02 am
by bennymacca
Anyone around here has any experience with grasshopper soccer or ready set go or equivalents?

Thinking of signing my 2 year old up for one of these. He bloody loves kicking the soccer ball around, playing with the little basketball ring we have, playing tee ball etc etc.

I can’t imagine they do much more than what we already do at home but the interaction with other kids would be good.

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:44 am
by Booney
Golf, excellent for the hand eye co-ordination that's used in every sport.

Timing, balance, concentration, the best sport for kids to get into even if it's just in the park with a cut down 7 iron from your old bag.

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:01 pm
by bennymacca
Booney wrote:Golf, excellent for the hand eye co-ordination that's used in every sport.

Timing, balance, concentration, the best sport for kids to get into even if it's just in the park with a cut down 7 iron from your old bag.


Most definitely want him to get some golf clubs at some stage, but I reckon 2 is a bit young.

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:06 pm
by mickey
bennymacca wrote:
Booney wrote:Golf, excellent for the hand eye co-ordination that's used in every sport.

Timing, balance, concentration, the best sport for kids to get into even if it's just in the park with a cut down 7 iron from your old bag.


Most definitely want him to get some golf clubs at some stage, but I reckon 2 is a bit young.
Never too young

https://youtu.be/MxPmzIKBris

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:16 pm
by Corona Man
My lad is 23 now. I recall taking him as a 4 year old I reckon to Soccer Development squad, at least that's what I think it was called. Even at 4, he was a year too young. Essentially all he wanted to do was run along, next to the other kids kicking the ball, and if someone tackled him to take it off him, he cracked the sads. The following winter he was all over it. From there he initially played soccer at under 8 level, and then again the following year. By the age of 10 he was ready for Aussie rules. He went back to soccer for a few seasons 12 & 13 by memory & did ok, played in rep sides etc. By 14 he came back to footy, and has played footy ever since. He first played cricket at 10, and has never missed a season since.

So - I reckon soccer is a good place to start, as is a bit of golf. But given you kids age mate.... I suggest plenty of back yard action with yourself as bowler, ball retriever and coach/mentor. Great way to bond. Good luck!

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:35 pm
by heater31
bennymacca wrote:
Booney wrote:Golf, excellent for the hand eye co-ordination that's used in every sport.

Timing, balance, concentration, the best sport for kids to get into even if it's just in the park with a cut down 7 iron from your old bag.


Most definitely want him to get some golf clubs at some stage, but I reckon 2 is a bit young.
Greg Blewett's son didn't have any issues....

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:49 pm
by Corona Man
heater31 wrote:
bennymacca wrote:
Booney wrote:Golf, excellent for the hand eye co-ordination that's used in every sport.

Timing, balance, concentration, the best sport for kids to get into even if it's just in the park with a cut down 7 iron from your old bag.


Most definitely want him to get some golf clubs at some stage, but I reckon 2 is a bit young.
Greg Blewett's son didn't have any issues....

Did you see the footage of his son smacking him in the head with the plastic club!

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:11 pm
by bennymacca
I’m more talking about attention spans so far. Kicking the ball for hours seems to be fine but he gets bored of tee ball and golf etc after a shorter time

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:12 pm
by bennymacca
Corona Man wrote:. Great way to bond. Good luck!


I’m proud as punch already just because he likes kicking the ball :)

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:36 pm
by Wedgie
Don't get him into golf too young. I played as a kid and was professionally trained by Brian Crafter as a youngster but was bored of the game by the time I was 15.

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:48 pm
by Corona Man
Wedgie wrote:Don't get him into golf too young. I played as a kid and was professionally trained by Brian Crafter as a youngster but was bored of the game by the time I was 15.

I think the key is to make sport fun, try them all and don’t push them. Kids will find their own way and importantly a passion for a particular sport. Then sit back and enjoy the ride. I really miss watching my lads cricket and footy. I plan trips back to SA around his games!

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:56 pm
by Wedgie
Corona Man wrote:
Wedgie wrote:Don't get him into golf too young. I played as a kid and was professionally trained by Brian Crafter as a youngster but was bored of the game by the time I was 15.

I think the key is to make sport fun, try them all and don’t push them. Kids will find their own way and importantly a passion for a particular sport. Then sit back and enjoy the ride. I really miss watching my lads cricket and footy. I plan trips back to SA around his games!

Absolutely, I gave most sports a go as a kid including golf, footy, basketball, cricket, lacrosse, baseball and athletics.
Much preferred the team sports and played mainly basketball as I loved the fact you were involved in the play just about 100% of the time.

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 2:03 pm
by Brodlach
What are you looking at benny, this is one area I work in

Just soccer, multi sports?

Time, which day?

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 2:27 pm
by bennymacca
Brodlach wrote:What are you looking at benny, this is one area I work in

Just soccer, multi sports?

Time, which day?


The only reason I am thinking soccer is because it seems to be something a very young kid can still have fun doing. probably the reason why they have soccer for 2-3 year olds but not footy, the skills are a bit simpler at that age.

so no real preference - somewhere a shortish distance from gawler on a sunday morning would be ideal, saturdays doable too. I have seen grasshopper soccer and ready set go but there could be many others I am not aware of.

The sports I have played are Aussie Rules, Cricket and Tennis but open to any suggestions - just want to share my love of sport with my lad - he already screams out cricket, soccer, darts, tennis etc when it comes on TV, and we kick the soccer ball and play with a basketball ring quite often too.

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 2:55 pm
by Brodlach
There is a group called Ready Steady Go Kids who run classes Sunday morning 9:30 at Gawler East Primary

They do a variety of sports over the 10 weeks, generally a different sport each fortnight

TBall
Soccer
Football
Golf
Basketball

But they do mix ithe sports around. You get to be involved and from my experience with this company (but not this particular Franchise) they are excellent.*

I don’t know any junior soccer centres at Gawler though sorry


* I have nothing to do with this company


If you are prepared to travel Simply Football and SoccaJoeys are both excellent

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:23 pm
by bennymacca
I’ve seen grasshopper soccer at both gawler Rec centre and munno Para primary school.

But I reckon ready steady go might be the way to go

Thanks for your help

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:49 pm
by Brodlach
I don't know much about Grasshoppers but my comment about not knowing Soccer Centres at Gawler I should have said on Sunday's.


Grasshoppers have no classes at Gawler on Sunday's but Munno Para do have classes on Sundays 9 until 9:30

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 9:31 pm
by mighty_tiger_79
Wedgie wrote:Don't get him into golf too young. I played as a kid and was professionally trained by Brian Crafter as a youngster but was bored of the game by the time I was 15.

The nephews Mrs and brother were both quite heavily forced into golf as kids.
She hated it and still does
Her brother is very good and is putting in the hard yards now, after a relaxing year or so to see if he can make it.

So its all a personal thing, you either love it or dont.

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 10:10 pm
by bennymacca
maybe my son will be a volleyballer, we have spent around 2 hours over the past 2 nights just hitting a balloon back and forth haha

Re: Sports for Toddlers

PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 7:07 am
by mighty hounds
bennymacca wrote:
Brodlach wrote:What are you looking at benny, this is one area I work in

Just soccer, multi sports?

Time, which day?


The only reason I am thinking soccer is because it seems to be something a very young kid can still have fun doing. probably the reason why they have soccer for 2-3 year olds but not footy, the skills are a bit simpler at that age.

so no real preference - somewhere a shortish distance from gawler on a sunday morning would be ideal, saturdays doable too. I have seen grasshopper soccer and ready set go but there could be many others I am not aware of.

The sports I have played are Aussie Rules, Cricket and Tennis but open to any suggestions - just want to share my love of sport with my lad - he already screams out cricket, soccer, darts, tennis etc when it comes on TV, and we kick the soccer ball and play with a basketball ring quite often too.


Hopefully he grows out of soccer and starts playing footy. Soccer for juniors is really really expensive until you get to seniors