Soccer Shots Franchisor Profile

THE HISTORY OF SOCCER SHOTS

Our founding partners, Jeremy Sorzano and Jason Webb, were soccer teammates both in college and professionally. They formed Soccer Shots® in 1998 after recognizing a lack of quality soccer programs for children under age 8. They shared an entrepreneurial spirit, a deep love of soccer and a passion to inspire children to live fit and healthy lives.

The success of Soccer Shots in Charlotte, NC, and Harrisburg, PA, where Sorzano and Webb first launched their businesses, led to several of their friends and former teammates wanting to get involved. In 2005, Soccer Shots began franchising and opened its first four franchises in OH, DE, FL and PA. The business opportunity began to attract more soccer entrepreneurs, and Soccer Shots has enjoyed growing around the country and into Canada.

In May of 2009, Justin Bredeman, another former college soccer teammate, became the third Soccer Shots partner. Justin brought with him eight years of experience from Auntie Anne’s, Inc., a pretzel franchising company, where he led a team that supported nearly 800 franchise units. His deep understanding of the franchise business model also comes from the knowledge gained from his five years of owning and operating a Soccer Shots business of his own.

From its humble beginnings, Soccer Shots has grown beyond Jeremy and Jason’s biggest dreams, with over 190 territories across 36 states. In 2017, more than 350,000 children participated in Soccer Shots.

The business is consistently recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as the #1 Children’s Fitness Franchise in the U.S. and today, Soccer Shots is positioned as the best-in-class children’s soccer program with a focus on character development.

And while the accolades are appreciated, our mission remains focused – positively impacting children’s lives. Soccer Shots Franchising, LLC is based in central Pennsylvania, just east of Harrisburg.

Recently, Soccer Shots has been named the official 2 to 5-year-old soccer program of US Youth Soccer- the largest youth sports organization in the county with over 6,000 local clubs in 55 state associations. This national recognition provides our franchisees with the opportunity to partner with USYS clubs at the local level.

There are two types of Soccer Shots owners – Owner/Operators and Executive Owners. Executive Owners typically focus on the vision and long term planning for the business, leaving the day-to-day operations to hired team members.
 
Successful Soccer Shots franchisees are:

• Humble, hungry and smart
• Multitaskers
• Leaders/team builders
• Growth-oriented
• Interested in making a difference while making a living

 
Owner/Operators are typically hands-on with the business. They may hire a program coordinator and/or director, and typically hire several coaches. They perform day-to-day duties like:

• Scheduling (classes, coaches)
• Finance (accounting, payroll, budgeting)
• HR functions
• Selling
• Marketing
• Organizational management
• Account management

 
Backgrounds of current franchisees:

• Entrepreneurs/business owners
• Former educators and coaches
• Sales people/account managers
• Business executives
• Those with a passion for impacting children
• Marketing professionals
• Stay-at-home parents
• Administrative professionals

 
This is a full-time commitment to owning a business.
 

BUSINESS CONSULTING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

• We provide two-day sales visits for all new franchisees and transfers to help start their businesses and gain accounts
• Our Franchise Business Consulting team provides leadership development training options for franchisees to build their leadership skill set
• Our training staff provides extensive first-year support to help our franchisees build their business
• We work closely with our established franchisees to help develop and expand their organizations as they progress through the stages of business growth

 
MARKETING

• Our marketing department is led by a seasoned marketing professional and a team focused on                 building system-wide awareness while providing local marketing support 
• We provide professional, polished marketing materials that can be customized to include local information
• Our in-house graphic designer is available for custom design needs – from brochures to car-wraps
• We provide ongoing social media content and guidance to be utilized by franchisees in their local territory
• We provide professional imagery, messaging and video content
• We provide each franchisee with their own local website that has editing capabilities

 
OPERATIONS

• Proprietary online enrollment system for easy parent sign-up and payment 
• Custom-built communications portal for customer communication
• We source all of the equipment, apparel and branded prizes needed to run your business
• E-learning platform for coaches to learn “The Soccer Shots Way” and become certified coaches
• Expert-approved curriculum that is online and easy accessed by team members

COMMUNITY AND PARTNERSHIPS

• An active franchise community that provides input on marketing, technology and strategic decisions
• Structured opportunities for engagement with established franchisees to share best practices and learning through regional and national meetings, as well as an active community Facebook page
• Partnerships and relationships with national brands, including adidas, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, The Goddard School, KinderCare and more

Tweets by SoccerShots

"If it’s something that I’m passionate about, then I definitely can be successful at it. The ability to reach more children with Soccer Shots is what keeps me going every day."
Carly Mondschean, Franchisee - Southern DuPage County, IL


"I was in the financial world, and couldn’t see myself being there for 20 years. I was really drawn by the ability to provide, and potentially earn a wonderful living. I can’t believe the growth that we’ve had."
Mark Miller, Franchisee - Buffalo, NY


"It’s everything that I dreamed of, and my wife tells me I’m a very lucky man that I get to do what I love.
We are a huge team working together towards the same goal."
Alex Gallego, Franchisee - Long Island, NY