Posted: December 12th, 2012 | Author: Rian | Filed under: Curriculum, Development, Global Goals, Philosophy, Schools, Updates | No Comments »
Hello School Directors!
Following are a few “highlight points” that prospective partners often wish to know about us while considering inviting Soccer Shots onto their campus (regarding our credentials, space requirements, etc.):
A Nationwide Community of Local Owners/Operators!
- Nationwide Soccer Shots will coach/mentor over 100,000 preschool and early elementary age children this year!
- We partner with thousands of schools and parks nationwide.
- Locally, we partner with over 100 schools and parks to teach over a hundred classes weekly!
- And this growth has been achieved in merely ten years in America.
- This year (2013) we will celebrate our 6th anniversary in the greater Los Angeles area.
Praise for Soccer Shots!
- Ranked “#1 Children’s Fitness Program” by Entrepreneur Magazine for the last two, consecutive years for quality of operation!
- We must be doing something right (actually, many things).
- Ask Referrals- please see our “testimonials” tab to learn about some of our many of our glowing parent experiences or…
- Feel free to call any current partner site listed on our web site. Frankly, this type of word of mouth is how we often begin new partnerships because our partner sites have such a great experience with Soccer Shots!
Physical Space Requirements
- Soccer Shots can operate in a space a small as 8 by 10 feet; we do not require a full soccer field!
- Playing Surfaces: Many sites have grass on which we play, but we also play on artificial turf, flat rubber surfaces, and indoor surfaces including wooden gym spaces and tile floors!
Minimum Enrollment
- Soccer Shots can sustain a class at any site with only six children enrolled.
- That said, many sites fill classes (our capacity is 12) and some offer multiple classes due to high demand.
Age Appropriate Programs
We offer three highly specialized and unique programs:
MINI: 2 to 3 year olds
Soccer Shots Mini is a high-energy program introducing children to fundamental soccer principles, such as using your feet, dribbling, and the basic rules of the game.
CLASSIC: 3 to 5 year olds (Pre-K)
For nearly 15 years, Soccer Shots has been introducing soccer exclusively to children ages 3 to 5. Using creative and imaginative games, weekly sessions focus on basic soccer skills like dribbling, passing, and shooting.
PREMIER: 5 to 8 year olds (K-2nd)
This program is for children who are new to soccer or who want to build upon what they have learned in Soccer Shots Classic. Focusing on individual skill, fitness, and sportsmanship, each session provides an opportunity for kids to be challenged through fun games and team competitions.
Local Leadership
- Our founders are former professional soccer players and parents who developed specially designed curriculum that demonstrated a clear understanding of the mental and motor skill developmental readiness of young children.
- All of our coaches are Live Scan cleared (and results provided to all partner sites) after a thorough interview and audition process and none are places without completing our training. Nearly all have strong backgrounds working with both children and soccer to begin with!
Insured
- Of course, Soccer Shots is insured and all partner sites are provided with annually updated Certificates of Insurance listing them as “additionally insured.”
Cost & Pricing Options
- Classes typically cost $14 per child per class or $18 per class at parks to cover our rental agreements there.
- Elective Enrichment Approach: Most of our partner sites offer Soccer Shots to those interested wherein parents register and pay for their children, NOT the school.
- Egalitarian Approach: However, several of our sites do include ALL of their children and pay for their classes, having built into their enrollment fees an extra cost associated with all enrichment classes they provide. Ask about special “group rates” that apply in these cases.
Seasons
- Season Length: Duration of our “seasons” vary, depending on the needs of our partner sites, from 8 to 12 weeks in duration.
- Quarterly Seasons: Typically, our sessions start quarterly at the beginning of the school year in September, in January, right after Spring Break and at the beginning of Summer.
- How Many Seasons Are Required? Most of our partner sites elect to offer Soccer Shots year round. However, some take summers off and other elect to simply offer a season or two annually, usually Fall and Spring.
- Annual Enrollment Option: Some of our partner schools elect to offer annual programs paid for by monthly, automatic draft.
- Scheduling Weekly Classes: Soccer Shots meets weekly at partner sites for 40 minute classes at a day and time that is convenient to our partner sites. Classes are available any time, morning or afternoon!
How to Gauge Potential Interest?
- Soccer Shots gladly offers FREE “Demo Days” wherein every child at a school in our age group is involved in a brief, eight to ten minute “demo” class to sample what we do. This allows for prospective sites to see firsthand what we do and determine potential interest of their students and families.
Posted: August 27th, 2012 | Author: Rian | Filed under: Development, Philosophy, Updates | No Comments »
Soccer Shots is a leader in youth soccer development for children ages 2 (MINI), 3-5 (CLASSIC) and 6-8 (PREMIER). Our nationally recognized non-competitive skills program offers a high energy, fun, age-appropriate introduction to the wonderful game of soccer.
Our innovative curriculum extends beyond physical activity to incorporate values like respect, sharing, teamwork, encouragement and cooperation. The enhancement of a child’s coordination, balance and agility is often seen immediately, but it is the building blocks being created for a life long love of sports that have the strongest impact. In each 40 minute class, experienced and enthusiastic instructors focus on having fun while guiding children through imaginative games that teach basic soccer skills. Our instructors are energetic and enthusiastic, are great teachers, and love working with children.
We are proud to offer the following unique programs at local preschools, elementary schools, and parks.
MINI
2 to 3 year olds
Soccer Shots Mini is a high-energy program introducing children to fundamental soccer principles, such as using your feet, dribbling, and the basic rules of the game. Through fun games, songs, and positive reinforcement, children will begin to experience the joy of playing soccer and being active.
CLASSIC
3 to 5 year olds (Pre-K)
For nearly 15 years, Soccer Shots has been introducing soccer exclusively to children ages 3 to 5. Using creative and imaginative games, weekly sessions focus on basic soccer skills like dribbling, passing, and shooting. We also highlight a positive character trait each session such as respect, teamwork, and appreciation. Soccer Shots will expose your child to the fun of soccer and provide the foundation needed to get started in the sport.
PREMIER
5 to 8 year olds (K-2nd)
This program is for children who are new to soccer or who want to build upon what they have learned in Soccer Shots Classic. Focusing on individual skill, fitness, and sportsmanship, each session provides an opportunity for kids to be challenged through fun games and team competitions. Children will also be introduced to tactical elements of the game as they prepare to play on competitive teams.
Posted: April 16th, 2012 | Author: Rian | Filed under: Clubs, Partnerships, Soccer, Soccer Shots Team, Updates | No Comments »
Soccer Shots SoCal (LA, OC, SD) representing at the Galaxy v Timbers game on Saturday night!
Thank you to all of our families that joined us, and to the Los Angeles Soccer Academy for organizing the evening. What a great game and final goal by Beckham!!!
Posted: April 9th, 2012 | Author: Rian | Filed under: Soccer Shots Team, Updates | No Comments »
Lately, we have been very fortunate to experience an extremely positive response from preschools in the south bay and have been invited into a number of new schools! With this comes the need for new, yet experienced individuals to join our team! We have been searching for a coach for some time but have not been willing to settle on just anyone to coach for us. We are very particular about who we select to join our team. The search has ended and we are excited to introduce Phil Bendik!
Coach Phil is delighted to join the Soccer Shots team.
With over 20 years of youth sports coaching and mentoring, he is excited to share is experience and help mold the young lives of today so that they can become confident future leaders.
His passion for working with youth programs was realized years ago when he began working with the Torrance Recreation Department. He has enjoyed supervising sports programs, summer camps and even teaching pre-school! There’s no doubt that his time spent working with kids helped prepare him for fatherhood as he is a proud Dad to four wonderful children. Ranging in ages from 15 to 5, he spends as much time as possible playing, listening and laughing (the list could go on and on) with his kids.
When not on the field or spending time with his family, Phil enjoys classic movies, reading and witty conversation. In 2001, he caught the triathlon bug and soon after, completed his first Ironman in Coeur d’Alene, ID. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Biola University and is in the process of beginning his master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.
Thankful for the many opportunities and accomplishments that have come his way, Coach Phil is truly inspired by the success of others.
“There is no greater feeling than watching someone else cross that finish line and accomplishing their goals.”
Posted: April 4th, 2012 | Author: Rian | Filed under: Updates | No Comments »
Soccer Shots was recently ranked #1 in the Children’s Fitness Program category by Entrepreneur Magazine!!!
Posted: March 28th, 2012 | Author: Rian | Filed under: Soccer Shots Team, Updates | No Comments »
We have been extremely fortunate to have had Andy’s warm personality, passion for working with kids, and years of soccer experience as part of our team over the past couple of years.
And now we are very pleased to announce that Coach Andy Baena has agreed to join us as our full time Lead Coach, Assistant Director of Coaching, & New Business Development (Leagues/Partnerships/Bilingual Programs).
Originally from Manizales, Colombia, Andres “Andy” Baena has lived in California since the tender age of three. He remembers watching his father play soccer and it was then that his passion for the sport was born.
At the age of five, Andy started what would be his soccer career. By the time he reached high school, he was a part of several nationwide traveling teams. He then continued to play for two years at Los Angeles Mission College which led to being part of the first team in 2003 to be honored by the Western State Conference.
At this point in his life, Andy turned his attention to developing strong soccer players, spending time educating and physically training them.
In early 2012, Coach Andy took on the role of Assistant Director of Coaching as well as the responsibility to further develop partnerships with popular leagues, clubs, and bilingual programs in the local Los Angeles soccer world.
With several years of personal and professional experience in youth soccer development, Andy is looking forward to contributing and acquiring knowledge.
“I believe that positive youth development is extremely important to making the future a better place to live in.”
He also worked at a soccer store with almost 10 years of experience helping players from age two and up making sure they have all the right equipment to maximize their soccer skills.
Great friendships, discipline, and the meaning of hard work on and off the field are all lessons soccer has taught him. He enjoys helping children start their soccer experience in a fun, positive and healthy environment.
Andy now plays soccer for fun and is happy to be a part of the Soccer Shots team.
Posted: February 16th, 2012 | Author: Rian | Filed under: Soccer Shots Team, Updates | No Comments »
We are very pleased and excited to welcome Jonathan Karacozoff to the Soccer Shots Los Angeles team.
Jonathan is a recent transplant to Southern California and currently lives in Marina del Rey. He grew up in Sacramento, and began playing soccer at the ripe old age of five. After high school he attended UC Berkeley where he majored in political science and minored in education. Growing up Jonathan played every sport, but soccer quickly became one of his favorite sports. While in high school he became actively involved in rugby, and translated his soccer skills over to the rugby pitch (rugby was a spin off from soccer). He still has a passion for both sports, and is excited to see them grow in the United States of America.
Growing up in a house with a physical education teacher as a mother led him to have a life long passion for teaching.
While at Berkeley he had the opportunity to work with the Sage Project, which is a non-profit charity that mentors young children in the bay area.
Having had such a positive experience through the Sage Project, Jonathan is proud to continue teaching the youth of America through Soccer Shots.
In addition to Soccer Shots you can find him working for the company KozFit, which is an enterprise he founded with his brother. In his spare time he can be found playing sevens rugby, soccer, working out, pursuing higher knowledge, and hanging out with family and friends.
Posted: February 6th, 2012 | Author: Rian | Filed under: Soccer Shots Team, Updates | No Comments »
We are very pleased and excited to welcome Lindsey Munce to the Soccer Shots Los Angeles team.
Lindsey grew up within a household surrounded by sports and fell in love with the game of soccer when she was 8 years old. Whether playing alongside her father, winning trophies with her team or simply trying to keep up with her older brother she knew at a young age that soccer would always be a part of her life.
While attending the University of Oregon, Lindsey participated and helped lead a summer program for kids on military bases around the world. This program ignited a passion for not only working with children but culture and travel as well. Since then, she has lived and/or studied in Italy, England and most recently Ireland of which she retains dual citizenship.
In the summer of 2009, she left her home and event management career behind for Belfast, Northern Ireland. There she volunteered for Habitat for Humanity for 3 months and joined them to film their 15th anniversary project in Romania in which 250 volunteers built 10 homes in just 5 days. From this life changing experience, she produced an award-winning documentary that appeared in film festivals around the world as well as a promotional film that has globally increased volunteerism in a number of Habitat for Humanity affiliates.
In Soccer Shots, Lindsey has found the perfect combination of a love of kids and passion for organizations that strive everyday to make a difference and is thrilled to be a part of the team!
Posted: November 19th, 2011 | Author: Rian | Filed under: Community, Parks, Soccer, Updates | No Comments »
If you are like me, you are already starting to find things for your kids to do over the holidays. Well add this to your calendar!!!
Soccer Shots is hosting a FREE soccer class for 3-5 year olds at the following parks:
CLICK TO REGISTER:
Valley Park (Hermosa Beach) – Thursday, December 15th 3:15pm – 4:15pm
(Find us towards the back of the park.)
CLICK TO REGISTER:
Hazeltine Park (Sherman Oaks/Van Nuys) – Saturday, December 17th 9:30am-10:30am
(Find us on the east-side of the park off Hazeltine Ave.)
CLICK TO REGISTER:
Culver West Park (Culver City) – Wednesday, December 21st 3:30pm-4:30pm
(Small park, you can’t miss us.)
If you haven’t played soccer with us before or you are a regular in the Soccer Shots family, come out and join us! And invite your friends as well!
Check out our blog and website for more info on our program: www.soccershotslosangeles.org and www.soccershots.org/losangeles
And “like” us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/soccershotslosangeles
See you at the park!
Posted: November 7th, 2011 | Author: Rian | Filed under: Philosophy, Soccer Shots Team, Updates | No Comments »
We are thrilled to have Adam Marino join our team here in Los Angeles as an Area Manager & Instructor. As a native Californian, Adam brings to Soccer Shots the most important component for your children’s success…Passion.
His passion for travel, soccer, education and working with children make him a perfect fit with Soccer Shots. Starting in 2004 and continuing to the present, Adam has traveled to over 25 countries on three different continents. But it was his six months in South America that changed his life. Working with local and very small communities, he truly saw the importance of education and soccer in providing a positive foundation for families.
With extensive experience in elementary schools, Adam will focus on introducing our unique “older” kid” skills program* (designed specifically for kids ages 6-8) to elementary schools throughout Los Angeles. He graduated with a Bachelors Degree in History and went on further to obtain his Masters Degree in Education from UCLA. Since 2009, Adam has worked in public schools teaching grades 6th through 12th and coaches his niece’s under 6 soccer team. He expands his passion and skills for teaching into every child he coaches.
With his diverse background, Adam looks to spread the name of Soccer Shots, and bring the program to grade school age children throughout Los Angeles.
“I feel very fortunate to be able to bring my love of soccer and teaching to the Soccer Shots team. My philosophy in life is to find your passion and give everything you have to make that passion a reality.”
From this philosophy, Adam strives to ensure that his students and players practice honesty, perseverance, teamwork, and patience. Above everything else, he aims to have kids understand and embrace these beliefs.
* Our “older kid” program is an excellent compliment to AYSO and other soccer leagues. We recommend at least one season of Soccer Shots before beginning a competitive league.
Soccer Shots Los Angeles Blog
