Today we’d like to introduce you to Joao Pedro Werneck.
Hi Joao Pedro, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Miami School of Soccer story begins in 2019 inspired by my experience as a soccer player/coach in Brazil but also by my experience as a dad of a soccer player in the US. To make a long story short, I decided to pursue my major in physical education after having played futsal, soccer, and beach soccer since I was a little child. Physical exercise was always present in my life. Nowadays, besides coaching soccer, I run half marathons and do triathlons, showing the importance of stimulating kids to be active so they continue exercising in adulthood. I always dreamed about being a professional soccer coach or fitness coach for soccer players. But I also recognize soccer as a great tool to make a difference in the community especially in a poor country such as Brazil with millions of soccer fans. I worked as a soccer coach for two years in this city program called “Olympic village” in the favelas (poor communities) of Rio de Janeiro. We used soccer to keep children away from drugs and drug dealers. We assembled a team of 11-12 years old players and traveled to the US in 2002 to play a tournament. The players had the unique opportunity to encounter a new culture, a new world. For two weeks, American volunteer families hosted the Brazilians in their houses. It was a life-changing experience.
What does my experience as a father of a soccer player have to do with Miami School of Soccer? Everything! First, I must confess that my experience as a “soccer dad” was frustrating at some point. As a former player at college level and loving the sport, it was really intriguing seeing my son wanting to quit soccer after he joined a competitive travel team when he was seven years old. The boy who grew up enjoying playing with me at parks and fields was no longer happy playing soccer. I was surprised because he was really into soccer during the two years we lived in Chicago. He was happy playing recreational soccer, having classes during the week, and playing games on the weekends. He loved to go out and have fun with his friends and family (me, the soccer DAD!). But then came the travel team (how the competitive soccer teams are called). The fun was over! Practice three times a week and tournaments EVERY weekend. With the team came the pressure to win. With the pressure to win came the coach and parents yelling every game, losing or winning. Too much. He did not want to play soccer anymore. I am sure there are several parents out there who share the same feeling.
Something was off with this system. Kids are not having fun exercising anymore. More importantly, children are quitting sports and becoming a sedentary adults. They do sports because the parents dream of a college fellowship. Parents enroll their kids in soccer hoping the children become a professional athlete, popular and rich. But in reality the number of children who actually make a living playing sports is very low. Furthermore, the amount of money parents spend on organized sports during the middle school and high school years most often exceeds the value of a college scholarship. Unfortunately, 7 out 10 players enrolled in organized sports quit before college. The American Academy of Pediatrics published an article entitled “Organized sports for children, preadolescent, and adolescents” in 2019 strengthening that the number one reason for kids to like practicing sport is FUN!
I am not trying to say that competitive sports are not important. Actually, competition is part of the process. My point is that coaches must find a balance between joy, development, and competition. Depending on age, motor development, skills, and also psychological engagement some players are ready for a heavy competitive environment, but most of them are not. Too much pressure on young players usually leads to detrimental effects rather than a positive benefit of exercise on the health of the youth players.
With all the beneficial effects of exercise and organized sports for children and adolescents in mind, I created Miami School of Soccer. First of all, we are not a soccer club or a soccer academy. We are a school of soccer. As a school, our inclusive program aims to develop each player to its full potential based on age-appropriate activities, collaborative player-centered lessons and, most above all, players must enjoy the game! We do not have travel teams for the ages from 4 to 12 years old. Parents are part of the process too. Young players love to have their parents participating in the classes.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Currently, we have around 60 players learning soccer and having fun with us in our programs. However, it was not always like that. The first challenge we faced was to open a soccer school in the Miami area, where every single city in the county has a soccer program. In addition to the programs in the cities, traditional soccer clubs also have programs in the area. And as I mentioned above, due to the way parents view soccer, especially in a Latino community such as Miami, made our program not attractive to parents willing to find a program with a competitive team even for ages as young as 6-7 years old. Countless times I tried to explain the philosophy of the school and to show the parents how the science was pointing in a different direction. Successful examples of other countries which banned competitions for kids younger than 12 and focused on development instead of winning were not enough to convince them. Fortunately, step by step, we are gathering more and more parents who understand the importance of having fun while learning soccer. Parents who are willing to help to build a positive environment. I particularly coach the 6-7 years old group. I see potential high-school and college soccer players but they still have a long journey towards adulthood. My goal as a coach is to stimulate them to play soccer their entire life.
Who else deserves credit – have you had mentors, supporters, cheerleaders, advocates, clients or teammates that have played a big role in your success or the success of the business? If so – who are they and what role did they plan / how did they help.
A lot of people also deserve credits to the success of the business. The core of the business is the quality of the coaches. I really appreciate their dedication to the players. In addition, family support is imperative when building a new business. My wife was my most excited support in this journey. At last, I believe the parents understood the concept of the soccer school and have been contributing to steady growth of our Miami School of Soccer.
Pricing:
- 45 min soccer classes for 4-5 years old players – $50/month, once a week
- 1 h soccer classes for 6-12 years old players – $100/month, twice a week and 2 Saturdays per month
Contact Info:
- Email: miamischoolofsoccer@gmail.com
- Website: www.miamischoolofsoccer.com
- Instagram: @miamischoolofsoccer
- Facebook: @miamischoolofsoccer
Image Credits
Images are from Miami School of Soccer own archives or taken by one of our soccer moms who is a professional photographer: Chantea Nicole Photography (https://chanteanicolephotography.com). I would also like to give credit for the designer who developed our beautiful logo. His name is Pedro Barros (www.pbwebdesigner.com).
