Local Information
Micah Straight, Executive Director
Micah and his family have lived in Philadelphia for the past decade. In addition to directing Soccer Shots, he works with newborn to 5-year-old children as a pediatric physical therapist and has recently started The Aspen Grove School for 6 week old’s to 5 year old’s with a focus on outdoor play and community.
Micah grew up playing competitive soccer in Northern Virginia. He was a member of the Olympic Development team in high school and served as a coach and referee for youth soccer leagues. He went on to play at Messiah College, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. He moved to Philadelphia in 1998 to complete a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy at Drexel University.Micah has a passion for the positive development of children and adolescents. He believes in the power of a mentor in a young child’s life and value the role soccer can play in positively impacting the health and development of children, their families, and their communities.
Thomas Rockett, Director Integrator
Thomas is a graduate of Eastern University with a master’s in urban studies and community development. Prior to Soccer Shots, he was involved with non-profit youth program development with PADA, Boys and Girls Clubs, Philadelphia public schools, and The Enterprise Center in West Philly. He continues to apply the principles from this background to running a small business serving children ages 2-8 with recreational enrichment in preschools and local park spaces.
Thomas’s first connection to sports as a child was through recreational soccer leagues and it flourished into a desire to play as many sports as possible. Sport and specificially soccer is the gateway to friendships, character, and fitness and they drive his desire to stay connected to the beautiful game.
Employment
If you have a passion for positively impacting children, we’d love to talk to you.
The “Three Cs” – Coaching, Communication and Curriculum
The foundation of Soccer Shots is our relentless commitment to providing best-in-class coaching, communication and curriculum.
The best coaches in the business
- Every Soccer Shots coach must complete our comprehensive training program to receive certification.
- All Soccer Shots coaches are trained in the use of developmentally appropriate techniques.
- Coaches are routinely evaluated and undergo ongoing training.
- Our coach selection process evaluates not only the ability to coach soccer, but also the ability to engage and inspire children.
An exceptional customer experience with ongoing communication
- You will receive a weekly summary of what your child is learning at Soccer Shots.
- We proactively communicate cancellations due to weather or other circumstances.
- Our staff understands the importance of timely, responsive communication.
Expert-approved curriculum that aligns with early childhood education standards
- Our developmentally appropriate curriculum places an emphasis on character development and skill building.
- Our program is created under the guidance of childhood education specialists, professional soccer players and experienced and licensed soccer coaches.
- We constantly re-evaluate and update our curriculum to stay current with childhood education standards.
Our Vision: To provide a beloved growth experience for every child; a remarkable experience for every family.
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 1997 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 running a Soccer Shots business of his own.
From its humble beginnings, Soccer Shots has grown beyond Jeremy and Jason’s biggest dreams, with over 200 territories across 37 states and Canada. There were over 440,000 enrollments into Soccer Shots programming in 2018.
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. Learn more about franchising with Soccer Shots at soccershotsfranchising.com.
Stronger Youth. Beyond the Game.
We believe that soccer is a powerful vehicle for positively impacting youth. Through our partnership with the U.S. Soccer Foundation, we aim to impact children who live in underserved communities through quality soccer programs that support their physical and personal development.