Little Lions | U5–U7 Pre-Academy
Little Lions is RED Academy’s introductory soccer program for boys and girls U5–U7.
Designed as the first step in the RED player pathway, our Pre-Academy program gives young players the opportunity to learn the game in a fun, positive and development-focused environment.
Whether your child is playing organized soccer for the first time or is a young player looking to continue developing their skills, Little Lions provides an age-appropriate introduction to the RED Academy training environment.
Learn. Play. Love the Game.
At this age, we believe development starts with creating a love for the game.
Little Lions sessions combine technical instruction with engaging activities and plenty of opportunities to play. Players are encouraged to be creative, get comfortable with the ball and build confidence while learning the fundamentals of soccer.
Sessions focus on:
- Ball mastery and comfort on the ball
- Dribbling and individual skills
- Physical literacy
- Passing and receiving
- Coordination and movement
- Confidence and creativity
- Small-sided games
- Teamwork and sportsmanship
- Having fun and developing a love for soccer
Small-Sided Games. More Touches. More Fun.
Playing the game is an important part of learning the game.
Small-sided games are incorporated throughout the Little Lions program, giving players more opportunities to touch the ball, make decisions, score goals and experience the excitement of playing soccer.
The emphasis isn’t on winning. It’s on learning, experimenting and having fun.
6:1 Player-to-Coach Ratio
More attention. More touches. More development.
Little Lions maintains a maximum 6:1 player-to-coach ratio, allowing our coaches to spend more time working directly with each player.
For young players, individual attention matters. Smaller groups allow our coaches to provide more encouragement, more feedback and more opportunities for every player to be actively involved.
It also means less time waiting and more time with the ball at their feet — helping players build confidence and develop good habits from the very beginning.
Learn From Qualified Coaches
Little Lions players are coached by nationally certified coaches who understand how to create an engaging and developmentally appropriate environment for young players.
Our coaches introduce the technical foundations that players will build upon as they grow while ensuring sessions remain energetic, encouraging and fun.
The First Step in the RED Pathway
Little Lions serves as RED Academy’s Pre-Academy program, helping prepare young players for the next stage of their soccer development.
As players grow and develop, Little Lions provides a natural pathway toward RED Academy’s U8+ programming.
Every journey starts somewhere.
For our youngest players, it starts with becoming a Little Lion. 🦁
2026/2027 Program
Summer 2027
Dates coming soon.
Peter Mackie
Peter Mackie is no stranger to the Kitchener-Waterloo Region and surrounding communities.
With over 30 years of professional playing and coaching experience, Peter leads all academy programming at RED Academy of Soccer.
In addition to his role with RED, Peter is also the Head Coach of the Womens and Assistant Coach of the Mens soccer programs at Conestoga College.
Peter holds his Canada Soccer National B and NCSAA Advanced National licences.
Technical Leadership
Stuart Mackie
Academy Leader and Coach Mentor
Jamie Brackpool
Academy Leader and Coach Mentor
Sebastian Sgarbossa
Head Goalkeeper Coach