Aberdeen Matawan Soccer Club Begins New Spring Program

Aberdeen Matawan Soccer Club is kicking off Spring 2012 with "Friday Night Futbol," a soccer program designed for children to just get out and play.

Andy Ginsburg, the vice president of recreation for the Aberdeen Matawan Soccer Club (AMSC), said that at a U.S. Youth Soccer Conference he recently attended with other members of AMSC, he learned the difference between American players and European and South American players.

"American soccer players, because we start training so young, we basically teach them how to react to every situation in the game. American players are reactionary. But Europeans and South Americans are participatory players, because they don't have the organizational coaching we have. They're just given a ball and told to play, which makes for more creative players," Ginsburg said. 

Between that and the constant requests from parents for a Friday night activity, AMSC created Friday Night Futbol.

Every Friday night between April 20 and May 18 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., players between the ages of 5 and 10 will be split into small groups and will be allowed to just play with the supervision of a referee.

"No teams, no coaches," Ginsburg said. "The players will come to the fields and be assigned to a field with other players their age. And play."

The program will take place at the fields behind and costs $35. The cost includes a t-shirt, Ginsburg said.

Registration is open. Visit the AMSC website for more information or to register.