Keepy Uppy Club - Tony Glavin Soccer Complex

THE KEEPY UPPY CLUB

WHAT IS THE KEEPY UPPY CLUB?

Back in Scotland as a boy, Tony and friends would juggle for hours each day, the game was simply known as Keepy Uppy. As a focus point of our technical development program we are introducing the program for all participating players within the club.
The Keepy Uppy Program encourages players to practice at home so they can become more focused, technically-sound players on the field. Stressing improved juggling at the younger ages underlines the increased skill improvement the players will attain as they age and develop.

Practicing juggling will:

Improve the first touch on the ball
Improve ball control
Provide greater confidence when dribbling
Focus concentration during games
Increase comfort and confidence when receiving the ball

Following are the benchmarks for achieving each level of juggling. As each benchmark/level is achieved a special Tony Glavin “Keepy Uppy Club” bag tag, patch, T-shirt or other gifts will be awarded. Coaches will keep track of players’ juggling scores and turn them in. Players will receive new rewards as they progress to higher juggling levels.

Level Benchmark Juggles Award

10 TG Keepy Uppy Bag Tag
25 TG Keepy Uppy 25 Patch Yellow
50 TG Keepy Uppy 50 Patch Orange
75 TG Keepy Uppy 75 Patch Red
100 TG Keepy Uppy T-Shirt Green
250 TG Keepy Uppy T-Shirt White
500 TG Keepy Uppy T-Shirt Black
750 TG Keepy Uppy T-Shirt Gold
1000 TG Keepy Uppy Platinum Level Embroidered Polo

GOOD LUCK!

TGSC Players: Send us your juggling videos! We'd love to share it! (YouTube link is required.)

HOW TO GET STARTED

You may be asking yourself what parents can do to help a child that may struggle with juggling. Not all kids like to juggle, some find it very hard and therefore they do not want to practice BUT it is something that they need to overcome and continue to try.

Here are a few tips to help those struggling:

Have your child sit on the ground with knees bent. Have them volley the ball and catch it. Just try one touch then catch. They should do this with remaining in the seating position. The point of doing this is to help a child get down the touch that helps with juggling. It is a softer touch that kids need to learn the feel. Having them in the seated position and knowing they will catch it, helps them to focus on just the feel of the touch they need.
Another strategy is to stand and work on juggling but let the ball bounce in between 1-2 juggles. Don’t focus on the bounce, focus on the touch. This would be done with the hope that fewer bounces in between will occur once the feel for the touch improves. It should start with touch, bounce, touch, bounce and keep repeating until they can take 2 touches then bounce. Confidence will be built as they succeed in this first step.
Rhythm is very important, finding the rhythm will help kids go farther. Some do better juggling with a certain part of their body. Knees is a good example. Sometimes a child can keep a rhythm with one leg, two leg, one leg, two leg (like a marching solider). If they are using their feet a lot and the control is not there, try the thigh. Figuring out the rhythm will help.
Remember that juggling is with all parts of the body (head, thighs, feet, chest).. If the player is struggling with control a different body part may keep the ball up. Heading the ball may help them readjust and keep the ball in the air.

Remembering that juggling is a small tool in the soccer players’ bag of tricks. It is true they do not juggle on the field, but improving the touch is used on the field and helps a player out in the long run. Good luck kids!