How long have you been a part of Shakopee Soccer Association? What attracted you to the club?

We have been a part of Shakopee Soccer since 2016. So for the last nine years, I have three kids who started out in the recreational program and then transitioned to the high level competitive program. What attracted us to the club is being able to offer that instrumental piece from transitioning from recreational to high-level competitive soccer. And Shakopee Soccer offers very high-level soccer coaches and being able to not only grow them individually in their skill, but also in the team component as well.

What has been your favorite experience at Shakopee Soccer Association?

My favorite experience at the club is the close-knit soccer family or community that we provide. You get to know a lot of the different ages and families within Shakopee Soccer. It's awesome to see as far as the individual skills or team development, and watching them succeed at such a high level.

As a parent, my favorite experience was watching one of my daughters win the USA Cup. To watch a team and individuals grow and be able to come together at the end of the year and win the USA Cup was probably another fan favorite or parent favorite to see.

How has the club impacted your son/daughter? Share an example.

Shakopee Soccer overall has a positive impact on all three of my kids, who play at a high level. If I were to give an example, I wanna call up my son's team and my son's coach. The example that the club has provided with high-level coaching. My son plays central midfielder and to see the technical and tactical work and improvement my son has had over the last two years with the team is incredible. The coaches had a lot to do with that, helping him understand the role and the importance of the central midfielder, but also to giving him the patience and the instruction that he needed to know how important this role is. And to see him succeed and improve over the last couple of years is why I love Shakopee Soccer. He has a coach who believes in him and has guided him over the last couple of years in developing into a solid, more well-rounded central midfielder, and that's what the impact has had for my family and my son specifically, and it's been tremendous in his growth.

What do you like about the facilities used by Shakopee Soccer?

Nothing beats the Shakopee Soccer Association's complex or facilities. The Seventeenth Avenue complex is amazing. Our parks and rec team works so closely with Shakopee Soccer to make those fields unbelievable. They are amazing. Being able to have U9 and U10 teams all the way to U19 and playing. Whether you're playing 7v7 or you're playing 11v11, some of those younger kids are able to come watch higher-level older kids play on the same night and show them what it's like to play at a higher level and being a little older. Having all of that at one complex is why nothing beats what Shakopee Soccer has to offer as far as facilities in the South Metro. I believe Blaine is probably the only one that is larger in the North Metro. So there's nothing that compares to Shakopee Soccer and the complex at Seventeenth Avenue.

Would you recommend Shakopee Soccer to a friend or colleague? Why?

I love to recommend Shakopee Soccer to friends, families, acquaintances, or anybody that has a kid that is interested in soccer. I believe it's a well-run organization. I love the soccer community that Shakopee Soccer provides. I also love the fact that the Director of Coaching is bringing in high-level coaches. And what I mean by high level coaches is high level licensed coaches to varsity coaches at the high school level, to college players, current or former college players, and really provide a a network and a soccer community that fits the needs of every child, whether it's a high level or if it's a different level that meets the need of the child. So, yes, I love recommending Shakopee Soccer to friends and family.

How long have you been a part of Shakopee Soccer Association? What attracted you to the club?

I've been a part of SSA (Shakopee Soccer Association) my whole life, played, coaching, you name it, and I can really say what's really drawn me to the club the most is the amazing group of coaches that we have here. We have coaches that have played at all different levels, from high school level to all the way to collegiately and professionally beyond. And I think it's really fun to have this amazing group because they make training fun and engaging. They make kids wanna come back. Kids wanna get better, which I think is so important to have, obviously. Not only do they obviously help with player development, but they also are mentors and make great guides to helping kids achieve their goals and play at that next level. And for me, it was playing collegiately, and I am now, thanks to the wonderful coaches that we have at this club. And they all really drew my passion for coaching. So having them as mentors my whole life and just in general, it's just been great to have at this club.

What has been your favorite experience at Shakopee Soccer Association?

I would say my favorite part of SSA is all the camps and programs that we have to offer. We have camps and programs for kids of all ages, all levels, all year round. Kids can just come play soccer, have fun, and, obviously, grow as players. For example, our attacking defending camp, our Saver Skills camp, we bring in some high school players to obviously help play with the kids and also kinda can get a feel for coaching. And I think it's fun because the little kids look up to the other kids.

Being in all three roles that the camp has to offer, the players, the high school helpers, and the coaches, I've seen it from all aspects. And they make the camp so much fun. Everyone brings energy. Everyone brings their own little, knows their role in the camp, and it's such a fun experience. And being each of those roles, I see it, and it makes me grow my love for these camps even more.

What kind of impact can the club have on a player’s development?

I would say the biggest impact this club has on player development is... I've stated before, the amazing coaches and all the great camps and programs we have to offer. But SSA has so many tools to help kids reach that next level. And I mean, growing up playing here and now playing collegiately and coaching here, I can say that SSA's tools and all the mentors that SSA has to offer really got me to that next level.

What do you like about the facilities used by Shakopee Soccer?

The thing I like most about our facilities is that we have a space to play soccer all year round, from our grass and turf fields that are all well maintained to, in the winter, our dome and our gym spaces that obviously are all well taken care of, but allow us to continue to grow as players and play soccer twelve months out of the year.

Would you recommend Shakopee Soccer to a friend or colleague? Why?

I can say that I would definitely recommend this club to a friend or colleague because growing up, playing here, now coaching here, playing at that next level, I can say that this club is really determined to get you to the next level. We're really determined to your growth as a player, and I think it's really fun to be a part of such a positive environment that helps get players to where they wanna be.

How long have you been a part of Shakopee Soccer Association? What attracted you to the club?

My family has been a part of the Shakopee Soccer Association (SSA) for the last eight years. And what initially drew us to the club is just that there's an opportunity to play for anyone really at any different level, whether it's the toddler program for two and three year olds or the rec program that's for kids in preschool through middle school or the competitive league that will take you from elementary school through high school and beyond, there really is an opportunity for anyone to play and develop at SSA.

What has been your favorite experience at Shakopee Soccer Association?

It is honestly really hard to pick just one singular favorite experience that we have had through SSA. I would say that participating in the USA Cup would definitely be a highlight. That tournament is a really incredible experience, and seeing what a global unifier soccer really is firsthand is a really unique opportunity.

I would also say that year after year, we always look forward to doing the Shakopee Cup. That is hands down our favorite local tournament. It's really well organized. It's a lot of fun. It's a really good one to invite family and friends to, and we're really fortunate that it's just right here at home.

And beyond experiences playing soccer, I would have to say that the community that SSA has and the friendships that my family has been able to create through the club have been really wonderful. My kids have all made really good friends through their teams and the different camps and trainings that they've been able to participate in, and seeing their growth both as players, teammates, and individuals has probably been the best part of participating in Shakopee Soccer.

How has the club impacted your son/daughter? Share an example

Shakopee Soccer has had a positive impact on all three of our kids who have played for the club by giving them the opportunity to train all year long. Not only are they able to be physically active, but they're also learning how to set goals for themselves. They're learning how to be good teammates on and off the field. They're learning how to be good leaders and good communicators, and also how to deal with disappointments and setbacks. And the club also gives them an outlet to be social, and they've all formed really strong friendships on their teams.

What do you like about the facilities used by Shakopee Soccer?

SSA has really nice facilities for all of their different trainings and programs. In the spring, summer, and fall, we're very fortunate to have the Seventeenth Avenue Sport Complex that has some of the nicest, if not the nicest, fields that I have seen anywhere across the metro. It's honestly so well-maintained. It's very green. The complex itself has really nice amenities like the concession stand and spacious parking lot. It's a good-sized area, but it's not so big that you can't find where you need to go.

In the winter, we're able to utilize the different gyms in the schools across town for futsal training. And I know the club is actively working toward the goal of getting a dome in the future, but in the meantime, we're able to utilize facilities nearby for winter training, and that has also worked really well.

Would you recommend Shakopee Soccer to a friend or colleague? Why?

I have recommended the Shakopee Soccer Association many times in the past and absolutely will continue to do so in the future because it has been such a rewarding experience for my family to be part of the club. I have also seen firsthand that there is something for everyone here, whether you are the parent of a two-year-old and you're looking for a first-time sports experience in the toddler program, or you have an athlete playing at the highest level on the competitive side, there is something for anyone.

I have also seen how dedicated and professional the coaching staff is. All of them have very impressive resumes and are very talented in their own right. The board works very hard to make sure that the club runs smoothly and is well-organized. And, overall, the value of what you get at SSA is a really good deal, and the level of training and the opportunities here to advance to whatever level it is that your player is looking for, you can find that here at Shakopee Soccer.