Little Footballers
A joyful first soccer experience for ages 3–5 with parent participation and no pressure.
Programs
A club pathway built around the SJFC Development Academy.
San Jose FC programs are designed to give every player a positive place to start, a clear place to grow, and a club culture defined by creativity, leadership, joy, and belonging.
Centerpiece program
SJFC Development Academy
Ages 6–14. This is the heart of the club.
Instead of assigning players to permanent teams, every player in an age group trains together. Players are constantly regrouped based on the activity, friendships, ability, and learning objectives. The identity is “I’m an SJFC player,” not “I’m on the Blue Team.”
Academy structure
- Foundation (6–8): movement, ball confidence, creativity, and love of the game.
- Development (9–11): technical growth, decision-making, problem-solving, and small-sided play.
- Performance (12–14): higher intensity training, leadership, game understanding, and competitive habits.
- Each group meets twice a week for 90-minute sessions.
Programs that feed the pathway.
Every program connects back to the same idea: players should love coming to the field, feel part of the club, and keep developing year after year.
SJFC Development Academy
The centerpiece pathway for ages 6–14, built around shared age-group training instead of permanent team labels.
Thursday Night Football
A weekly signature open-play night where players organize the game and creativity leads.
Holiday Camps
Winter, spring, summer, and Thanksgiving camps that develop players and welcome new families.
Monthly Club Festivals
Recurring Saturday celebrations with games, challenges, families, food, sponsors, and recognition.
Entry point for families
Little Footballers
Ages 3–5. A positive first soccer experience built around movement, coordination, and fun.
Little Footballers is designed for young children and their parents. There are no teams, standings, or pressure — just a welcoming weekly session that helps children enjoy the ball, move confidently, and feel excited to come back.
How it works
- One 45–60 minute session each week.
- Parents participate alongside their children.
- Activities focus on movement, balance, coordination, imagination, and fun.
- The goal is simple: create a positive first soccer experience and transition children into the Development Academy at age six.
Signature culture program
Thursday Night Football
A weekly club tradition where players organize the game.
Thursday Night Football is intentionally different from a coached training session. Coaches organize fields, balance teams, and ensure safety. Then players take ownership. This is where creativity, leadership, confidence, and joy flourish.
Every Thursday
- No coaching.
- No tactical instruction.
- No standings.
- No pressure.
- Players organize the game and learn through play.
School-break programming
Holiday Camps
High-energy camp experiences during the moments families need them most.
Holiday Camps give San Jose FC a strong development and community advantage: concentrated training, memorable experiences, and an accessible way for new families to discover the club.
Camp windows
- Winter Break
- Spring Break
- Summer
- Thanksgiving Week
- Members receive discounted pricing. Non-members pay full price, making camps both a revenue stream and a recruiting tool.
Community-building events
Monthly Club Festivals
One Saturday each month for the whole club to gather, play, celebrate, and connect.
Instead of emphasizing league standings, San Jose FC will create recurring club celebrations that families look forward to. These festivals turn the club into a community, not just a schedule of practices and games.
Festival elements
- Small-sided matches.
- Skills challenges.
- Parent vs. kids games.
- Music and food trucks.
- Local sponsors.
- Player recognition.
One connected SJFC pathway.
Start with joy, grow through academy training, express yourself through free play, and connect with the community through camps and festivals.
START
Little Footballers
Ages 3–5 discover movement, balance, coordination, and fun with parents involved.
GROW
Development Academy
Ages 6–14 train twice weekly in age groups built around development, not permanent team labels.
PLAY
Thursday Nights
Players organize the game, solve problems, and build leadership through unpressured play.
BELONG
Camps & Festivals
Seasonal camps and monthly festivals create community, revenue, recruiting, and club pride.