Local Information
Dan and Anna Larson, Owners/Directors
Dan, a native of Minnesota, has been around soccer all his life. He grew up playing premier level soccer through high school and was a starter for NCAA DIII Hamline University. Dan holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration. He has been coaching youth soccer for several years and has been involved with youth groups focusing on the development of our up and coming generations. Dan operates the business with his wife, Anna, who also grew up in Minnesota playing soccer. She holds a bachelor’s in English, and a master’s in business, with additional graduate coursework in early childhood education. Together Dan and Anna endeavor to deliver an outstanding program that leaves a lasting positive impression on every child it serves. Soccer Shots has touched the lives of thousands of children across the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin, providing them with lifelong skills on and off the field. Dan and Anna reside in western Wisconsin with their children.
Local Testimonial From A Preschool Director:
You know how much we love Soccer Shots so I wanted to share some more positive feedback with you to pass on to your team.
I was chatting with one of our moms before Christmas and she shared that her kids had tried community soccer last summer and while it was OK, she couldn’t stop comparing it to Soccer Shots and the “high quality” of coaches her children always have. She went on to say that “it’s obvious the coaches take their role very seriously and truly love what they do”.
Then last week we had a staff meeting and oh my goodness…the teachers chatted for 15 minutes about how much they love Soccer Shots. Some of the things that were mentioned included the attendance sheets and having parents sign children out, the coaches greeting every child by name at pick up time, the respect the coaches show everyone, the willingness to come into the classroom to get the children at dismissal (a chaotic time of day) and the smiles the coaches have every Monday. The teachers that have been here since the beginning said they have definitely noticed an increase in quality and professionalism since the start. Two of our teachers also have children participating and they really appreciate the weekly summaries and the personalized emails they received at the end of the session. And if all this wasn’t enough, EVERYONE loves the stocking caps that were given out at the end of the Fall Session-we have kiddos that wear them everyday, all day.
Thanks for what you do…it is greatly appreciated at Calvary Pre-K.
– Becky Robinson Calvary Golden Valley
Local Testimonial From A Parent:
I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you how much my daughters are enjoying Soccer Shots at Small World Learning Center in Woodbury. They usually drag their feet getting out the door in the mornings, but not on Wednesdays! Because it’s Soccer Shots Day! I have really enjoyed your emphasis on teamwork, effort and integrity since we all know that not every child is going to be a professional soccer player – but they are all going to grow up and we hope they mature into hard-working, ethical people who know how to have fun 🙂
All the best,
Christine
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.