Soccer Tots open in Cheney

By DAVID TELLER

Staff Reporter

With childhood obesity running rampant, physical education and training in children would be their best defense, and the younger the better.

Cheney kids now have a non-competitive skills building asset called Soccer Tots, which is a child development company emphasizing skills improvement in children from 18 months to 6 years old.

Licensing support and national director Mario Williams stresses the program is not about competition.

“We don't focus on that, the young kids really don't handle it that well,” he said.

Originally based in Seattle, Soccer Tots teaches hand-eye coordination, foot-eye coordination and agility. Soccer is a tool used to teach physical fitness. Williams said the kids are also taught social skills, which is a first for many of them

“A lot of kids that age, they really haven't been in a class setting,” Williams said.

The “progressive curriculum” is professionally designed. Williams said newcomers come in and do one session at a certain level. From there, the children are evaluated. Classes are staggered according to age and ability. For a lot of the children, they are taking instruction from an instructor for the first time, but parents are allowed to participate with the younger kids.

Once a kid has shown development, the instructor meets with the parent and it is mutually decided whether to move the kids on to the next step. Williams added that if a child possesses exceptional ability, they would likely be moved to the next step sooner, despite an age difference.

If a child struggles, they can redo a class or move on to next step. Moving the participants is directly influenced by the parents. The parents also participate in activities with two-year-olds.

“At a young age, the kids don't have a lot of self-confidence,” Williams said. “We're building self-confidence and teamwork.”

Soccer Tots is different than outdoor soccer. The point is to teach fundamentals, not only at soccer, but other sports and fitness in general. Williams said baseball is another activity, but they also have enrichment classes too.

The enrichment class is like corporate team building exercises that are a group involvement activity focusing toward a common goal.

To sign up for classes, Williams said either go to the company website, soccertots.net or call Soccer Tots at 922-8611

The Spokane-based company has been in the area for about seven years and Williams said the company wanted to start branching to outlying areas. He said there is not a lot of development programs for kids, especially young kids out in areas like Cheney, Medical Lake and Fairchild Air Force Base. In the future, he said he would like to expand the program to other areas like Nine Mile Falls.

Soccer Tots has an agreement with Reid Elementary for setting up office space and Williams said he is going to try a free demonstration class on Saturday, Dec. 13 in Cheney or Medical Lake. From there, he said he would try to launch a winter session.

All of the classes are in sessions running from seven to 12 weeks long and they are indoors during the colder months. Classes will be moved outdoors for summer sessions.

Williams, an Eastern Washington University graduate, has been with the company since its infancy and is happy with what he does.

“It's a perfect job,” he said.

David Teller can be reached at [email protected]