Soccer Tots
By: Ali Touhey
Updated: February 4, 2010
Kids at the Rochester Sportsgarden are kicking and screaming, all in good fun.
"Kids love it. They leave here a little bit sweaty with a big smile on their face," said Michael Johnson, who owns the Sportsgarden.
It's all thanks to the Soccer Tots program at the indoor facility. It's a national program that Johnson brought to the area about four years ago.
"The thing we really liked about it was that it was based on fun," said Johnson.
Classes are an hour long. They're meant for kids ages 18 months to 6 years. Every activity is a game.
"It can be the bad monkey and good monkey. Where the bad monkey will tip over flowers which are cones with their feet. Then, when they become good monkeys again, they can put them back up again but they have to use their feet. "
Brett Goldstien's two boys have been taking the classes for the last several months.
"I've seen great improvement in his abilities and his skills and yea he's definitely learning things here."
Johnson says that's an important concept of the program.
"It teaches a lot of gross motor skills. The kids get a lot of exercise and develop fitness."
"They're really nonstop for an hour. It really is. From the time class starts, to the time it ends, they're really having a bunch of fun here," said Goldstien.
The kicker is, kids get exercise in the process.
"In today's world where there is so much obesity and concern about children getting exercise, this is a great way to do it," said Johnson.
For more information, click here.
