Soccer Shots is the premier soccer franchise program for young boys
and girls across the United States. It offers clinics for 3-
to 8-year-olds using a unique teaching method that not only focuses on
soccer skills, but also on the developmental needs of children of this
age group. The Soccer Shots curriculum incorporates teamwork, vocabulary,
and character development through fun and creative soccer-based activities.
The program reaches 15,000 children each season!
I’ll often have parents ask me what the appropriate age is for their child to start playing competitive soccer. It’s a great question, because every couple years local clubs seem to add another younger age group to their club. Some of these clubs do a great job handling these younger age groups, but many do not. I can appreciate the desire for a parent to want their child to be in the premier club or have them compete against the best players in town; however, it is a short-term perspective.
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There are two points I ask parents to consider when determining what is the best option for their 5- to 8-year-olds. The first is that quality coaching and skill development at this age trumps playing on the best teams that are emphasizing winning every time. Although children of this age are well aware of the score (and so are the parents!) the main goal for this age group is to continue increasing their ball skills and understanding of the game. Often, in order to win at this age, you sacrifice those two key ingredients. The second factor to consider is which team or club will keep your child interested in soccer and enjoying the exercise and benefits of the game. Often this is not the team that is playing two games every weekend year-round and demanding a child and parents’ complete attention. It may be the team that practices once or twice a week and has a very short game schedule. In fact, they may not even play in the winter!
Ultimately, these two factors will determine a child’s long-term success and enjoyment in the game. Let’s make sure we’re focused on the right goals for our kids.
- Anthony Calvano, Director, Soccer Shots Pittsburgh South
Staying active during the winter is easier said than done. If you live in the northeast, it can be even tougher – you can have some pretty tough winters. If you live in a warmer climate it can be a little bit easier, I’ll have to admit, but those of us in the northeast can’t let the winter be an excuse.
I grew up in California and was outside all the time, but then we moved to Ohio. And guess what? I was still outside all the time! I love being outside playing sports, hanging out with friends, hiking, or just plain doing anything. I guess the point I’m trying to make is that it started with my parents. My parents were very active in getting me outside or involved in different events from a very young age.
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“Staying active while the snow is falling is especially important for kids. During the spring, summer and fall, it’s easy for kids to participate in outdoor sports and activities, helping to maintain a healthy weight. It’s still very important for you to maintain regular fitness routines or activities throughout the winter months.” -Dr. Jessica Rubenstein, M.D., Primary Care Physician Pediatrics, Harvard
Soccer Shots is of course a great activity to get your kids involved in, but there are so many things your kids can do. For me, growing up, there were a lot of organized sports like indoor soccer, basketball, gymnastics and volleyball, among others. What I enjoyed most, though, were the times spent outside with friends and family doing non-organized things. When I moved to Ohio, playing in the snow was probably my favorite – whether it was some sort of made-up sports game or even a snowball fight. Of course, when I was younger, I wasn’t thinking that it was great being outside because I was getting exercise – I was just thinking that it was fun!
“The trick is to make it fun for kids. Parents can lead outdoor games such as snowball fights. Putting time limits on TV, video and computer make it easier to keep kids active.” -Dr. Susan Adams, M.D., St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Pediatrics
Even though I loved being outside growing up, I remember there were times when I was interested in watching movies and playing video games a lot. I often needed that push from my parents to force me to get out from behind the TV. One thing I definitely noticed is that I always felt better after getting outside and doing something. I continue to this day to force myself outside – even when the weather is bad – to get some activity, because I know it will make me feel better.
“Keeping kids active — the sort of movement that gets a heart rate up — is crucial year-round.” -Dr. Maddy Weiser, M.D., runs Youth Movement Fitness Club in Bryn Mawr, Pa.
We all need to stay active during the winter months, and it’s important to show that to our children at a young age. It doesn’t mean we have to take the kids to the gym, which can often be boring for kids. Any activity that gets the heart rate up and burns some calories will be great. We are glad that Soccer Shots can be one of those fun activities to put into a week to help keep your child active and healthy!
Early each year, the same feeling comes over me. A little bit of sadness as the Christmas tree and decorations come down, and a little bit of relief that the most hectic time of the year is finally over! I’m sure not many of us want the holidays to be hectic, but I think most of us can admit that quite possibly, we may be ever-so-slightly guilty of making the holidays more hectic than they need to be. Perhaps we waited until the last minute to shop for gifts then we had to sit in a parking lot full of people doing the same thing (Guilty.). Perhaps we had a minor panic attack trying to serve a hot meal to guests at a time we promised, although we know that no one who is fed free food really cares if it is a few minutes late or slightly cool (Guilty.). Or, perhaps, we stood in line waiting to dash into a store and execute a plan of attack to make it to that one “perfect” gift that we HAD to buy for someone on our list (Almost guilty. I chickened out when I saw the long line).
Amidst all of the insanity that I’m probably guilty of creating for myself, I stopped to eat at one of my favorite establishments. While waiting for my sandwich, I was struck by the words on a sign, perfectly placed right above my booth. “What is Success? You can use most any measure when you’re speaking of success. You can measure it in fancy home, expensive car or dress. But the measure of your real success is the one you cannot spend. It’s the way your kids describe you when they’re talking to a friend.”
I thought about this, and I thought about all stories I’ve heard about people scuffling over the elusive LeapPad or whatever the annual “Tickle Me Elmo” or “Furby
”-type toy may be. It seems every holiday season there is some atrocity that ensues over the presumed need to get our hands on one of these items. It’s human nature to want to get our kids or other family members amazing gifts that they are going to love. We aim to please. We buy stuff to show someone how much we love them.
However, I also realized that what comes to mind when I think about the holidays is not an amazing gift. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there were quite a few presents that I was very excited to tear open and play with as a kid, but in the grand scheme of things, that’s not at all what stuck with me. It was the traditions, the drive to my uncle’s farmhouse, the especially indulgent dinner, the visit from Santa, the caroling, the anticipation of Christmas morning. I’m sure my parents probably went to great lengths to find me that perfect gift every year, but in all honesty, there are very few that immediately come to mind. (Sorry, Mom and Dad.)
I just happened to notice that sign hanging in the sub shop during the holidays, but I think it’s relevant all year-round. It won’t be all the physical things we buy for our kids or our loved ones. It will be the way we encourage them, the activities we participate in with them, the way we grow with them and the memories we create with them. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, a coach, an aunt or an uncle, the greatest gifts we give the next generation are not the ones that can be wrapped.
Maybe the words on that sign will come to mind the next time we’re out, filling our shopping carts with all the latest toys, goodies and gadgets that will inevitably, one day, be useless. Or maybe, just maybe, if we recall the message on this sign, the next big holiday might not be quite so hectic!
On November 2, 2011, Soccer Shots and its nonprofit arm, Global Goals, got to officially convert their fundraising efforts to real, live, positive impact. Soccer Shots franchisees nationwide raised money through Global Goals over the past year in order to install a SportCourt – a multi-use athletic court – on the asphalt grounds of Avon Avenue Elementary School in Newark, NJ (see Jason Webb’s recent post with more information on the installation and the impact it will have on the school and community).
Check out our video HERE of Jason Webb, Soccer Shots Partner and Co-Founder, speaking to Dominique Lee, Founder & Executive Director of Avon Avenue Elementary School, about the exciting news!
- Laura Kane, Executive Director, Soccer Shots Company-Owned Units
As I was inching along in holiday traffic this weekend, I started to question the purpose of all the hype surrounding the Thanksgiving holiday. Why was it necessary for me to spend hours in the car, only to make small talk with distant relatives who avoid the elephant in the room by asking, “Are you still doing that soccer thing?” I respond with a smile, “Yes, I sure am!” The truth is, this past year has been a stressful one. With several unexpected twists at work, my 13th move in 5 years, and a family strained by divorce, the smile I cracked this Thanksgiving was just that, broken.
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At church this morning, I was reminded of a very valuable lesson in appreciation. The pastor asked us to hold our thumb out in front of us, and take note of how it only covers a small portion of our vision. Next, he asked that we move our thumb right in front of our eye. Now, our vision of the entire room has been blocked. I began to realize that my thumb represents all of those stressful events of my life. Of course it is difficult to be thankful for my aunt’s cancer, or the current state of the economy. But if I allow those stressors to sit right in front of my eye, I won’t be able to see all the beautiful things that life has to offer.
I am so blessed that I work for a company that shares my passion and desire to impact youth. This week, I’ll have another opportunity be a positive role model for young children. Not only will I teach them the “chop move,” but I will be able to show them what “appreciation” really means. Children are great imitators! As adults, we must be aware of this and make every effort to provide a good example for our kids. Every once in a while, pull that thumb away from your eye so that kids will see how truly grateful you are to be alive!
- Nicole Cody, Owner, Soccer Shots of Greater St. Charles
Our oldest son, Micah, has played team sports since he was 4 (he is almost 8 now). He started with soccer, and added basketball about a year ago. Over the last four years, I have spent many (many) hours as the model soccer mom, on the sidelines cheering him on…
“Micah, please pay attention to the game and stop hanging like Spiderman in the net.”
“Son, you should apologize to him for that slide tackle.”
“Honey, it’s OK to pass the ball to your teammate once in awhile.”
“You. Are. On. The. SAME. TEAM!!!!!!!”
“Goooooooooaaaaaaaaallllllllllllll!” (which, one week, was quickly followed by “is it really necessary to celebrate your goal by pretending to make a snow angel in the middle of the field????”)
This past weekend, he played in his first basketball game of the season, and my view from the sideline allowed me to see – and appreciate – the difference that a really, really, really good coach can make.
Micah was placed on a recreational co-ed basketball team with Coach Julio. I’ve seen a lot of coaches over the last four years, but I have not experienced a coach like Coach Julio. I
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knew he was special at the first practice, when he said, “I’m going to be loud, but you’ll hear me being loud to encourage and teach the kids.” True story – he is loud but encouraging… Maybe one of the most encouraging coaches I’ve ever seen. He has been able to connect with my son in a way that not many other coaches have before… he is a very patient teacher with a rowdy group of second-grade boys. During this game, I found myself paying more attention to how consumed he was at making sure the boys were having fun and learning. The ref called everything – traveling, double dribble, you name it – and I’m pretty sure there were four baskets scored during the entire (hour-long) game. No one kept score (that I could tell), not even the coach or the players, and for my ultra-competitive little guy, that was a miracle in and of itself. And even though the whistle kept blowing, Coach Julio never lost his patience and never stopped encouraging the boys. He clapped, he cheered, and he gave high fives like they were going out of style. He consistently and repeatedly communicated with my son in a way that he could understand and connect with. He was constantly getting to Micah’s level – making eye contact and showing that he was engaged and in it with them. He knew all their names… even after only a couple hours with them. And then, today, when I checked my email, Coach Julio had taken headshots of each of the boys and made a poster with their picture and name so that they could all learn and remember their teammates’ names.
Did I mention that Coach Julio is a volunteer coach?
As a Soccer Shots owner, this experience struck me because at Soccer Shots, coaches are really important. We look for people who will not only be dependable and patient, but will (more importantly) be encouraging with the children who play with us. We look for coaches who are able to make Soccer Shots the best 30 minutes of a child’s week. We hire coaches who believe that it’s more than just soccer – coaches who truly believe that they have the ability to leave a lasting impact on the youth that we serve through the game of soccer. We hire coaches who not only understand that this is the foundation of our program, but who also take their responsibilities as a role model to tiny, amazing little people very seriously. To be honest, it’s not easy to find these types of coaches. It’s tempting to “settle” when faced with a very full schedule, a fast-approaching season, and a shortage of talented instructors.
As a parent, it is this kind of experience that I imagined for my child when I signed him up for sports in the first place. And it’s the kind of experience that only a really, really, really good coach can provide. Maybe he’ll stick with basketball… or soccer… or maybe he won’t. But either way, I guarantee that he will remember Coach Julio and think of him with a smile.
By: Jason Webb, Soccer Shots Partner and Co-Founder
If you’re like me, a typical week for you might include a couple of evening soccer practices at a nearby township park, dinner out with the family, carpooling in your minivan, and Saturday morning soccer games. The games where my kids play are held on grass fields which are lined and include goals. We have coaches and paid officials, concessions and public bathrooms, and our parks department or club provide these amenities at a low cost.
This is not anyone’s typical week in Newark, NJ, a city just a few miles west of New York City known by many for its airport or its infamous riots in 1966. In fact, it would be unsafe to bring your children to a public park in the evening in many locations in Newark. Safer locations are fenced and gated. Few recreation departments have the resources to provide soccer fields. Even fewer offer community soccer programs.
Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in the great work of the US Soccer Foundation by installing a SportCourt soccer field on the property of Avon Avenue Elementary School in Newark, NJ. Avon Avenue Elementary School is located in the one of the most difficult wards in all of Newark, NJ and until recently, had recorded the lowest test scores of any school in the city. For these reasons, it has gained the attention of several organizations, including the US Soccer Foundation (USSF).
The USSF creates and supports programs which are designed to keep kids active and healthy. They guide children away from negative influences by providing them with safe and healthy places to play after school – the most dangerous hours of the day. Players receive attention and support from caring mentors and coaches who work to ensure that they develop into healthy and successful young adults. The Foundation is working to build safe playing fields and bring their Soccer For Success model to economically disadvantaged communities nationwide.
Soccer Shots Partners Justin Bredeman and Jason Webb, as well as representatives of the US Soccer Foundation and SportCourt, help install the new playing surface.
Through the generosity of a donation made to the USSF by Soccer Shots Global Goals, a safe playing surface has been constructed on the playground at Avon Avenue Elementary. This new court will host an after school soccer education program led by the Claudia Reyna Foundation and will include year-round, daily soccer programs offered to Avon Avenue Elementary students after school. For most of the kids who will participate in this program, it will be their first experience ever playing soccer.
The installation is complete -- time to break it in!
As a representative of the Soccer Shots franchise community, which so generously contributed to the construction of this court, it was my privilege to represent Soccer Shots last week during the construction of this court. We started constructing the court in the morning and by early afternoon, the court was nearly complete. It’s an 85 foot long by 55 foot wide safe playing surface which will have lines and goals. Apparently, this surface is ideal for many sports (tennis, volleyball, etc.) but found its place in soccer as the official surface for futsal. In urban locations, it’s virtually impossible to maintain grass playing surfaces, and artificial turf is cost-prohibitive at nearly 6 times the cost of a SportCourt. According to the USSF, constructing this court on Avon Avenue’s property will allow for maintenance, protection, and daily use of the surface through the USSF and its partners. The court will be the property of the school’s, and it may be used for other activities during and after school.
Avon Avenue Elementary School students are eager to learn soccer skills and use the brand new field.
The best part of the day happened around 1:30pm. The field was near complete and a group of older kids (must have been around 12 years old) were out on the school yard. They were eyeing us up, tip-toeing on the field, and peppering us with questions about the field. One wanted know if it could be used for football. Others mentioned, “If it’s for soccer, is someone coming back to teach us how to play?” That was all we needed to hear. The 5 of us representing Soccer Shots and the USSF got out a bag of soccer balls and starting playing soccer with the kids right there on the court we had just installed. We taught a few of the older boys how to juggle and head back and forth. When the school bell rang, those boys were still practicing, didn’t want to leave, and were the last ones back into the school.
I consider it a privilege to be a coach and to impact kids positively here in my local community. I also consider it an honor and a privilege to share resources and to support the excellent work of the US Soccer Foundation in Newark, NJ and in other cities throughout the United States.
Left to right: Alex Gallego, Soccer Shots Nassau County, NY franchisee; Greg Griffith, Director of Development for the USSF; Justin Bredeman, Soccer Shots Partner; Jason Webb, Soccer Shots Partner.
Jason Webb is a Co-Founder and Partner of Soccer Shots Franchising, LLC, as well as the Executive Director of Soccer Shots Harrisburg, PA. A native of Central PA, Jason played soccer collegiately at Messiah College and professionally with the Charlotte Eagles and Harrisburg HEAT. Jason has worked extensively with young soccer players over the past fifteen years and has contributed significantly to the development of the national Soccer Shots curriculum. Jason is an active member of the NSCAA.
By: Anthony Calvano, Director of Soccer Shots – Pittsburgh South, PA
I can’t start to count how many ways that soccer has affected me in my life, so I’ll try to just stick to a few. Let me also say that I’m going to speak mainly about soccer, but I played many sports and I believe all sports affect kids (and people) in many positive ways.
Friends.
I have so many great friends from soccer and the sports I played growing up and to this day. When I was growing up, I moved a few times because my dad was in the Air Force. It can be pretty daunting to move at any time, but when you are a young kid I think
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it is escalated even more. I was a pretty shy kid growing up, and what helped me was being able to play sports; it was a natural way to meet kids to be friends with. One of the really cool things, when you look at young kids playing sports, is how they interact with their teammates. I was recently coaching a soccer team that lost a game and to be honest, we lost pretty badly! We went out to eat as a team afterwards, and I remember looking at all of the players after they were done eating. They were just enjoying each other’s company, hanging out and playing in the restaurant with their friends. They had forgotten completely about the game those couple hours before. It was pretty refreshing to see, as so much of our sports nowadays are about winning and losing. Some of my fondest memories of growing up playing soccer are those times with my buddies at tournaments and games having fun with my friends.
Health.
I definitely took for granted when I was younger how sports and soccer helped me with my health and fitness. As I talked about before, when you’re younger, you’re just playing mostly because it’s fun. Now,though, one of the reasons I still play soccer is to stay healthy. As they say, health is everything. It’s a fact that sports, like soccer especially, help keep kids fit. It’s great to start that young and then to keep it going. I started playing sports from a very young age, and now if I don’t get out there often to play, it doesn’t feel right. I think starting young has helped that be a staple in my life.
Character.
Sports teach you how to do deal with working in groups. They teach you discipline and working hard to try to achieve your goals. These are characteristics that you need in all areas of your life. I know that with Soccer Shots, these and many more positive
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characteristics have been engrained into the curriculum. As a Soccer Shots instructor it has been really great to see when a 3 or a 4 year old will help out another 3 or 4 year old during the session. These lessons learned will help greatly later on in life. Personally, I can remember in college when I was looking into jobs, that my school advisor mentioned she knew many employers liked hiring athletes because of their characteristics learned by playing sports. Now, as an employer myself, I can definitely relate.
These are just a few of the ways that soccer and sports have positively affected me – and I believe will positively affect the young children in Soccer Shots.
I’ll finish with a quote from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: “In addition to improving children’s health and giving them an appreciation of discipline, sports can improve their physical skills, help them to learn the values of fair play and teamwork, improve their self-esteem and give them a chance to make new friends.”
By: Carly Mondschean, Director of Soccer Shots Harrisburg, PA
It may come as a shock for some of you who know me, but I have not always been a confident person. I went through the dreaded “preteen girl phase,” where I struggled to embrace my crooked teeth, oversized pink glasses and a haircut that was identical to my mother’s. When we got to the age where cheerleading was everything at our school, I was one of the few of my friends who opted to play what I called “real sports.” In other words, I never felt that I fit in with that “pretty girl” crowd. And at the age of 12, fitting in is HUGE.
That sentiment persisted through high school and continued into my college years when I joined a sorority. Outward appearance and the latest styles (somehow, on a college budget) were important it seemed, to most everyone but me. I felt like I was constantly being forced to play “dress up.” Many of the friends I made were and are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside, but I can’t deny that the experience made me waste a lot of time and energy trying to be someone I was not.
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Currently, I have two amazing opportunities to use sports and the lessons learned in these sports to leave a positive influence on children. As director of Soccer Shots Harrisburg/York, I teach mostly preschoolers. I wanted to reflect on the importance of instilling confidence in our kids because it’s the character trait we focused on at many of my sites in the past week. Rewarding a child’s every accomplishment is massively important at this age in order to increase a child’s confidence. With a curriculum that focuses on fun over competition, Soccer Shots instructors and parents are never without an opportunity to praise and reward the children whose little minds they are shaping. I’ve read that at preschool age, it takes six positive reinforcements to erase every ONE negative statement. This is just how important it is for us as parents and coaches to encourage our kids constantly in these early years.
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However, it can’t stop there. In my role as director of Capital Area Girls on the Run, I also work with girls who are primarily in grades 3 through 5. At that age, they still possess that innocence that allows them to laugh at me when I’m silly or celebrate an achievement without any self-doubt. However, in just a few years time, that could change if they are not given the tools they need to overcome a lack of confidence. Without self-esteem, or the ability to say, “I love who I am and I’m okay with the decisions I make,” the media messages, peer pressure and bullying young girls face have an enlarged negative impact. When a girl cannot accept herself, she is then more inclined to do anything to gain acceptance from her peers. That could mean engaging in risky behavior, substance abuse or development of an eating disorder. All a result, in huge part, of lacking the confidence to say, “That’s not who I am and I’m okay with choosing NOT to do that.”
When I seriously took up running after grad school is when that confidence in myself, not just in my abilities, truly hit me. On a run, my mind is typically blank, save a few thoughts that pop in every few minutes. I can’t say the exact moment or location I realized it, but I remember thinking, “THIS is who I am and I love it! It doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks.” Since that point, I can honestly say that I’ve had the confidence to try to live my life to impress no one but myself.
So why am I divulging all of this? As parents and instructors, I believe it is our
responsibility to create and encourage confidence-induced realizations like this for our kids each and every day. Celebrating the scoring of a goal into an empty net from two feet away may seem trivial. Just keep in mind that the confidence it will give your child will erase any self-doubt that may come along with trying again, eliminate the fear of tackling a bigger goal and/or encourage them to celebrate their talents and achievements. All of which, evident now or not, have far-reaching implications for many years to come.
Quite frequently, parents whose children are enjoying the game of soccer are asking me what they can do to encourage their child in the game. Often I answer “Go outside and play with your child in the backyard.” This serves a few great purposes. One, it allows the parent and child to connect with each other, promotes exercise, and allows the child to practice some of the skills we’ve been teaching at Soccer Shots.
However, recently as I watched a Soccer Shots scrimmage turn into a full-fledged football game, I couldn’t help be reminded about the power of watching sports and the creativity that can inspire in kids. I’m fairly certain these 4 year olds had not been playing on a tackle
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football team this season but instead had been watching their dad or mom’s favorite football team this past weekend. While I love the NFL (Go Eagles) I have suggested to parents that watching Soccer with their kids is a great way to connect and reinforce what we’re teaching. Many of the skills we do at Soccer Shots play out on the professional level each week. Granted, they are “slightly” more sophisticated when performed by Lionel Messi or even Landon Donovan, but allowing children to actually see creativity and beautiful play from others helps their imagination as well when they get out on the field.
For those parents who prefer to keep their kids away from the TV altogether, find a local college or professional team and start taking your kids to the games. They might only watch for 15 or 20 minutes before finding the playground, but watching good soccer can help reinforce what they’re learning and keep them out on the field having fun and being active.
