WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen
Between work, school, dinner, and family time, it can be difficult to find the time in your family’s busy schedule to fit in sports activities for young ones. However, HappyFeet Tampa Bay tries to combat this common problem with this solution: weekly preschool programs.
Offering weekly classes to over 220 preschools and early learning centers throughout the greater Tampa Bay area, the HappyFeet curriculum doesn’t interfere with parents’ or educators’ schedules. This program aims to instill a love for the game of soccer while also developing motor skills, personal responsibility, self-control, and good decision-making skills.
Jameison Lynn, COO for HappyFeet Tampa Bay, felt it was the right time to bring HappyFeet soccer to Manatee County. He said: “We saw the constant growth in Manatee County and decided it was the perfect location to move from Tampa Bay.”
Smiling Faces Academy in Bradenton is one of the local child care centers that offers HappyFeet to its students. Coach Jessica is one of the coaches who facilitates the program there and has received a lot of positive feedback from the staff, directors, and children.
“The students are very receptive to the drills and exercises! It’s really fun to watch them cheer for and encourage each other during practice times,” she said.
HappyFeet uses familiar songs, stories, nursery rhymes, and fun games to introduce soccer to the children. The students get a soccer ball named Bob the Bobcat and get to take him on imaginative adventures to the zoo, movies, or an enchanted castle! The curriculum encourages children to use deceptive dribbling and ball-striking skills to “tame their bobcats.” HappyFeet’s philosophy uses creative play and developmental skills to build a solid foundation that they hope leads to a lifelong involvement in sports and fitness.
Coach Jessica explained: “In the child care centers, we do focus on the basic fundamentals of soccer, and once we see improvements in their skills and coordination, the students can continue to be challenged.”
Jameison added: “Partnering with the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County and Smiling Faces Academy has been very rewarding for our staff. They’ve been able to work with so many children who potentially would not have been able to participate in soccer or our program otherwise.”
Coach Jessica initially heard about HappyFeet through the job website Indeed. She thought it sounded too good to be true, but after applying, Jameison reached out right away and sent her to shadow Coach Tim for a day.
“I instantly fell in love with the program!” she beamed. Jessica’s dad enjoyed soccer and was a goalie in high school and college. His passion for the sport is what sparked her interest, and from there, she was able to play during high school and coached the elementary soccer program.
One of Jessica’s favorite things is watching how the kids progress and make improvements. She has one student in particular who has improved drastically since she first started working with her.
“Not just in her soccer skills and balance, but this specific student’s social skills and creativity have really started to blossom. She was not very interested in participating initially but would stand by me quietly. She has now been a part of HappyFeet for about eight months, and she laughs, screams, and runs around with everyone and doesn’t stop smiling,” Jessica recalled. “She’s one of the best participants I have in her group and can do all her soccer skills easily. She doesn’t say much, but that’s ok! Now, she’s always ready to try new things, and we get to have so much fun while doing so.”
Ensuring a safe, fun, and nurturing environment is critical to the HappyFeet organization for the advancement and success of its participants. Their approach to working with children provides the ideal environment for their students to explore their athletic capabilities, express themselves creatively, learn to work well in small groups, and develop their emotional and social skills. They achieve this while progressing through their “story time with a soccer ball” curriculum.
In addition to preschool programs, HappyFeet also offers soccer leagues for ages two through eight. However, there are a few differences between the league and child care programs. For example, the child care programs are 30-minute classes per week at their partnered schools.
Jameison said, “This program is great for busy families who might not have the extra time outside of school and work to commit even more time to children’s activities. The curriculum used is very similar to the leagues’ where we are always using our HappyFeet soccer sessions!”
The HappyFeet league program runs seasonally in the spring, summer, fall, and winter for seven weeks. The sessions take place once per weekend. This helps the parents who might be too busy during the week to take their children to multiple practices and games. There are 14 locations available in the Tampa Bay and surrounding area, one being in Lakewood Ranch.
Leagues are separated by age group, and the duration will vary depending on the group. For instance, the two-year-old group’s session would only last for thirty minutes, while the five to eight-year-olds’ sessions would be an hour long.
HappyFeet originated in Kansas City in 1988 when Andy Barney, an Oxford, England native, ran coaching sessions for three, four, and five-year-old children at a local indoor soccer center. HappyFeet’s website shows Andy was raised in a soccer-rich family with two generations rooted in professional soccer. When he came to the United States, Andy established British Soccer Camps, now called Challenger Sports, the USA’s largest camp organization.
Jameison is originally from Kansas City and grew up playing soccer with various clubs. He says that his passion is soccer and always has been. After becoming involved with HappyFeet in Kansas City, he moved to the Tampa Bay area and is helping grow HappyFeet to impact more children and expand the “beautiful game,” as he calls it, in Tampa Bay.
“I have played and coached at various levels all my life! I started playing soccer at the age of four in Kansas City and played through college. Now, my passion is passing on my love of the game to the next generation,” he said.
When looking for coaches and staff, Jameison looks for someone who has high energy, experience in soccer, and loves working with kids. Additionally, their staff must pass a Level II DCF background screening before working with any child care centers.
Being able to reach children in Manatee County who might not have the opportunity to play soccer while also helping them develop important life skills has significantly impacted Jameison and his staff at HappyFeet. The young students’ excitement and focus during sessions are a testament to how successful the program is while maintaining the fun.
