Little Kickers Australia Blog

What does it take to become a sporting hero?

2012-05-11T18:38:00.001+10:00

What does it take to become a sporting hero?

By Christine Stanschus – CEO Little Kickers, based in Toronto, Canada

My husband, Frank, and I were fortunate to be able to attend a fundraising event in Toronto last week, which was organized by the CAN Fund – Canadian Athletes Now. I have to admit that until I went along to the event, I had little understanding about the lives of athletes who are preparing for the Olympics, and their motivations.

We had the opportunity to see presentations by, and to meet, a number of ex-Olympic medal winners and to hear their stories around their participation in sport.

I had always assumed that athletes who achieve Olympic performance levels are probably born as naturally superior physical beings to the rest of us, and that whilst a certain amount of effort is bound to be involved, they are ultimately “made that way”. It’s possible for the chosen few to become Olympians, but not for most “ordinary” people. I assumed it would be obvious from the first time these talented athletes picked up a hockey stick / kicked a football etc, that their gift would shine through and they would be earmarked as a future Olympian and would be set onto a training conveyor belt which would propel them effortlessly to the Olympic Games.

Whilst many of the athletes who spoke at the event described the buzz they got from competing in their chosen sport right from day one, I was amazed at the way they described their ongoing involvement. The effort involved in forcing themselves to train when they really didn’t feel like it, the physical discomfort which often bordered on pain, the “down” moments, when they felt they were underachieving. There were, however, certain characteristics the athletes shared, and messages which were repeated over and over again throughout the presentations and conversations. The first being the overwhelming sense of pride they feel in representing their country. Also, the respect and admiration they felt for their teammates and their determination to do their best for “the team”, the dedication and hours of training required in order to achieve their dreams…. Many of them had stories of injuries, which should have resulted in an end to their Olympic careers – serious joint injuries, serious accidents incurred while training etc. They all managed to overcome these, and to go on to achieve greatness.

The other thing they all had in common was the huge support they had received from their families. From instilling an early passion for their sport and a drive to do their best, to more mundane things like getting up early to drive them to practice and being a constant source of encouragement when the going got tough. They were unanimous in their views that without the support of their family they would never have achieved their Olympic goals.

So whilst physical attributes obviously contribute to the make-up of great athletes, the support of a strong family is equally as important. So the next time your Little Kicker wakes you up at 7am on a Saturday morning, asking you to take them to football class, remember that all 11 spaces on the 2024 Olympic football squad have yet to be filled…!

Little Kickers Founders visit Down Under

2012-05-10T14:26:00.002+10:00

Little Kickers founder, CEO Christine Stanschus and her husband Frank, visited Australia from their home in Canada recently to say hello to our franchisees and talk about the exciting times ahead for Little Kickers.

They came via the UK where they celebrated 10 years of Little Kickers and took part in the annual franchisee conference.

It was their first time Down Under and with the Little Kickers Australia team growing rapidly, there was plenty of meeting and greeting to be done - Aussie style!

First stop on the East Coast was Sydney. Chris and Frank spent some time catching up with NSW master franchisee Dan Kelland and his wife Sharon. Our guests brought the wet weather with them from the Northern Hemisphere.... or maybe it was Yvette and Michael Summers-Gervai, the New Zealand master franchisees who also flew in for the conference.

Lenny was EXTREMELY pleased to see the Stanschus' - just a few days earlier he went to the airport to 'surprise' our visitors... but the surprise was on him as Chris and Frank unknowingly exited through another gate, leaving Lenny to entertain other passengers from a tour group who were fascinated by our furry friend!

Their next stop was sunny Brisbane where Christine and Frank spent some time with Queensland and South Australia master franchisee Karen Tannoch-Bland and her husband Colby.

Whilst in each of the states, Christine and Frank met up with Qld and NSW franchisees to get some feedback on how the brand has been developing in their states. It was also a great chance for franchisees to socialise together as a group.

“It was fantastic to meet the fun, dynamic group of people who are setting the standard for pre-school sport in the Aussie market. The Little Kickers overseas business only really kicked off a couple of years ago but has now grown to represent a staggering 35% of the company's overall business - which is testament to the hard work and passion of the talented group of overseas franchisees we now have in place,” Christine said.

While they were here, Christine and Frank also updated us on what’s been happening with Little Kickers globally. The UK has just launched Little Rugby and little Dance Flavourz through our overseas franchise network.

Little Rugby is a sports program for 2 to 5-year-olds, similar to Little Kickers, and Little Dance Flavourz is an eclectic dance programme for 2-5 year old girls and boys looking for a fun and energetic introduction to dance. To find out more, visit littlerugby.com.au and littledanceflavourz.co.uk

Little Kickers at National Playgroup Week

2012-04-19T11:21:00.000+10:00

Playgroup Queensland’s National Playgroup Week was packed with fun events for kids again this year and Little Kickers was at the heart of the celebrations.

The major Queensland event, the Hyundai Playgroup Children’s Festival, was on 29 March at RNA Showgrounds where about 2,000 people from playgroups all over South East Queensland joined in the fun and games.

Girls and boys from 15 months of age were kicking goals with us, some who had just taken their first steps! Our Coach Chris can help any child kick their first goal and it was Little Kickers on the road, with all our usual favourite games and fun soccer activities.

Kids loved the chance to play with us and walk away with a sticker, hand stamp and balloon, as well as a snapshot of the types of people who run Little Kickers classes. Most of the coaches who came along were franchisee owner-operators who put 110 percent of their heart and soul into the event.

Playgroup Queensland does an incredible job of organising National Playgroup Week, which coincides with Families Week each year.

Little Kickers was also invited to join in a second event at Capalaba Regional Park on 27 March. About 400 people from the Bayside area joined in the Capalaba fun where Little Kickers organised soccer games and a playful obstacle course. Other activities included a baby animal farm, face painting, giveaways, messy play and fire trucks.

National Playgroup Week was a major success across Queensland, with over 6,500 families participating in 36 events. Thanks to Playgroup Queensland for involving us in such fantastic events and we can’t wait to join in again next year!

Meet a Little Kicker - Lachlyn

2011-10-05T14:59:00.002+11:00

We were lucky enough to interview Lachlyn on Saturday at his Little Kickers Gold Coast class. Here is what Lachlyn, aged 4 had to say about Little Kickers.

Venues of Little Kickers attended: Pacific Pines

How long have you been coming to Little Kickers? 1 year now

What is your favourite little Kickers game? Catching the coach

What do you like best about little kickers? Kicking Goals!

What do you want to be when you grow up? A mechanic & Buzz Lightyear!

What’s your favourite healthy food? Bananas, Strawberries & Yoghurt

Who is your favourite coach? Coach Brad

What do you love? Lightning McQueen & riding my bike

Your Mum and/or Dad’s perspective on Little Kickers....

We love Little Kickers and the skills they learn and think it’s important for Lachlyn to be part of ‘A team’. He loves the big boy soccer outfit and wants to keep his ’real’ uniform on all day!

Meet a Little Kicker - Beau

2011-09-19T22:49:00.002+10:00

On Sunday we had the pleasure of interviewing Beau who attends our Gold Coast Burleigh Sunday Junior Kickers Class. Here is what Beau (and his Dad) had to say!

Age: 3

Venues of Little Kickers attended?

Burleigh, Gold Coast

How long have you been coming to Little Kickers?

12 weeks

What is your favourite little Kickers game?

“Kicking the ball into the net”

What do you like best about little kickers?

“Kicking the ball into the net” (same answer J)

What do you want to be when you grow up?

“Spiderman”

What’s your favourite healthy food?

“Apple”

Who is your favourite coach?

“Coach Brad” & “Coach Corey”

What do you love?

“Poppy” & “Smoothies”

Your Mum and/or Dad’s perspective on Little Kickers -

Excellent!

Structured learning in a fun environment – Leaning physical coordination (soccer skills, etc), Practising mental alertness (listening skills, taking instructions and carrying these out properly, concentration skills, etc).

……and most importantly Beau loves it.

Meet one of our Little Kickers - Harry

2011-09-09T13:09:00.007+10:00

Abbey at Little Kickers Gold Coast had the pleasure of interviewing Harry at Little Kickers Southport. Here is what Harry had to say about his favourite weeks activity.

Name -
Harry

Age -
3

Venues of Little Kickers you attend on the Gold Coast -
Southport

How long have you been coming to Little Kickers?
2 months

What is your favourite Little Kickers game?
Donkey kick 'E-OR'!

What do you like best about Little Kickers?
Scoring goals and playing soccer with my friends

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A racing car driver

What’s your favourite healthy food?
Chicken pasta

Who is your favourite coach?
Coach Colin

What do you love?
Lightening McQueen and the Cars movie

Your Mum and/or Dad's perspective on Little Kickers -
Little Kickers is a great way for young children to learn some early ball skills, to get some healthy exercise and most of all, to have fun! All the kids love it!

Welcome to the Chinese New Year 2011

2011-02-04T16:51:00.007+11:00

Well we are already into our second month of 2011, how time flies when you are having lots of fun. We have now entered the year of the Rabbit, which according to the Chinese Zodiac is the luckiest year and I am hopeful that it will yield some sporting luck!

We have just lost out on the Asian cup and Tandanari Lee is now a name that will evoke painful memories for Socceroos fans, just as the name Tim Cahill will forever do the same to a generation of their Japanese equivalents. It is all the more difficult for Australia fans to take because of the gilt-edged chances missed mainly by Harry Kewell, with form player Matt McKay also spurning a glorious opportunity to open the scoring inside the opening ten minutes.

On the day, the better team perhaps lost but that doesn't mean Japan are the undeserving champions.

The Socceroos will also have done their reputation on the continent no harm with the manner in which they have conducted themselves both on and off the pitch, a start contrast to the arrogance that surrounded their first Asian Cup campaign four years ago.

Another chapter was meanwhile written in the colourful football history between these two countries and whilst there isn't a prevailing animosity, it is a rivalry that you sense both the players and supporters enjoy.

In four years Australia will have the opportunity to go one step further when they host the tournament themselves, whilst Japan look to defend a crown that they deservedly hold.
I for one cannot wait!

As adults we are constantly encouraging our children to bcome better at what they do, willing them to have the constant desire to increase their own motivation and to achieve greater things. Yet we often fall short of it ourselves year after year.

At Little Kickers, from session to session we aim to improve many different aspects of childrens' lives; our carefully planned sessions include progressions that challenge the children both mentally and physically. The children most importantly are having lots of fun and learning lots of different concepts at the same time.

These children may be the Socceroo players of the future; let's hope so as the fundamental skills they learn with Little Kickers will be invaluable whatever they decide to do later on in life.

Here's to a great 2011 and the year of the Rabbit!

Sprechen zie Football?

2010-10-08T00:38:00.001+11:00

Bonjour, or should I say Yiassou having just returned from the Greek island of Crete. My girlfriend and I had a lovely time, a much deserved break for us both, a chance to relax in the sun, snorkel and various other activities.

It was about the fourth day into our holiday, and one of the cleaners who smiled so much it could almost be considered a condition, greeted us with a big smile and a loud “kalimera,”! Needless to say Stacey and I looked at each other slightly puzzled as to what “kalimera” meant. We later found out that it meant ‘good morning’, however it took us four days (out of a possible 7) to realise that we didn’t know any Greek. We were in Crete, but knew nothing of their language.

In our defence, upon arrival we could have easily thought we had landed in Birmingham, we were greeted by a long string of midlanders, it felt like the Costa del Coventry. Upon arrival to the airport and getting to the hotel, to being around the pool and on the beach, people would talk to us in English. This worried me slightly, was I that pale that they knew I was English? I had no Harry Potter books on me, and I didn’t drink tea so it couldn’t have been living up to the stereotype, and Stacey refused to allow me to pack my union jack bandana, much to my dismay!!!

We felt rude, we were in someone else’s country and we hadn’t even tried speaking their language. From then on we made a real conscious effort to speak in their language, admittedly for them to answer in English but at least we had tried.

During the same day I discovered a new language. A revelation. A language that we could all speak, no matter what country of origin. I found out that I could speak “Football”! I discovered this whilst walking past the numerous taverns and bars, each showing a different football match as to cater for everyone. I found myself speaking “Football” to so many different people.

Football has become an international language in itself. Adored and loved by so many, everyone has their own opinion on teams, players and managers, and regardless of if you want to hear someone’s opinion, if you speak Football you will receive it! Luckily for me, the island was full of Man Utd supporters, so I felt at home amongst friends. Whether it was just “what a goal” and sticking your thumbs up at them, or just naming players such as Messi and shaking your head in disbelief of his mastery of a football, it became a conversation, somewhat disjointed, but a conversation none the less.

Football brings people together. From all different walks of life, locally and as I found out - internationally. At Little Kickers we have sessions running on the other side of the world. And yes, some of us have slightly different accents, some may even speak another language, but speaking the language of Football has allowed people to share ideas, discuss opinions and bring people closer together. At Little Kickers children learn to love the game in the correct atmosphere, the love for the game so that in 18 years time, when they go off on their first holiday you know they are that little bit safer in the country because they can speak the same language….Football.

Note: If you are a Man Utd fan, do not holiday in Liverpool and expect to speak the same language. Lesson learnt.

Hardest job in the world

2010-08-31T22:48:00.001+10:00

After having had a few lemonades in my local public house, a friend and I were discussing our professions and our enjoyment of them. We then went off subject trying to list the most difficult jobs in the world, including the British Prime Minister and the next Manchester United manager; we listed the obvious - Firemen, the Police and all the emergency services. Admittedly we did digress somewhat, for example, the most difficult job in the world being selling doors – door to door…‘bing-bong, o you’ve got one, never mind’!!! It then became quite competitive as to who had the more enjoyable job.

I am pleased to say I won hands down! I listed the obvious clichés in it being rewarding and satisfying; however clichés are only in existence because they hold elements of truth and value. I also labelled seeing the development of children as a colossal reason, in addition having an impact on the improvement of health and fitness, and working for a company that holds high moral values.

I love Little Kickers, and I have been a proud employee in various different positions since 2003. It is difficult to call it work, as working with such excellent and passionate colleagues and like minded coaches it makes it fun and worthwhile. And obviously your children are the highlight of my weeks - I have learnt to expect the unexpected when dealing with children, but even that thought does not prepare you for some of the genius comments that children come up with! It’s nice to see my games being put into practice, and children enjoying them and sometimes the Mums and Dads even more so!

I would love to spend more time with the children, (I realise your all shouting easier said than done!) however, we do only get an hour a week with your mini superstars. As some of you may or may not know, we have a Facebook site. On this Facebook site you can find my ‘top secret garden games’ – games and exercises I have created for you and your little ones to enjoy at home. If you are one of the 8 people in the world that doesn’t have Facebook, fear not – we have put them all on the ‘What’s New’ page on this website. Take a look and give them a go! Why not send us a snap of your child playing the games and we will upload them onto our website!

In the mean time, enjoy the rest of the summer, and absorb every ray of sun that the skies are begrudgingly giving us.

Magic

2010-06-16T21:45:00.001+10:00

Last night I had the pleasure of going to see Derren Brown’s new show - “Enigma”. It was truly amazing, and even the biggest sceptics amongst the audience left utterly spellbound. We were asked as an audience not to reveal anything that goes on within the show, so as to not ruin it for others, so I will stand by my promise. If you get the chance to see it though, please do!

I have always been somewhat of a sceptic, and I have an annoying habit of digging for logical explanations. However I was amazed by the cynicism of some attendees who I overheard discussing the show on the way out of the theatre, and saying “they must have been actors” and “they’re all drama students”. Their basis for this utterance stemmed from the method of selection of audience participants, who were seemingly randomly chosen by means of a Frisbee being thrown into the crowd.

It irritated me slightly that people were so quick to pull the show apart. Even if they were all actors (and I am not suggesting this by any means), could we not just enjoy the spectacle, sit there and absorb brilliant showmanship and not dampen the experience by forming our own rationales? As a human race we have an innate urge to form an unequivocal reasoning for everything.

As a child I never doubted things I saw. When my Granddad told me that he had my nose – I wanted it back! When my Grandma told me that there was a coin behind my ear, I spent hours in the mirror looking for it, but, as if by magic, when she looked she managed to find it!

As we grow up we “grow out of” the ability to accept things for what they appear to be. We have a constant yearning to know the ins and outs of everything. Now, I realise that this has helped us develop science and technology to today’s advanced levels, and the evolution of the human race from Neanderthals to the sophisticated beings we are today would not have happened had this thirst for knowledge not been inbred (although if the Big Brother contestants are anything to go by, that is somewhat questionable!) However I can’t help but think that sometimes we take it too far.

At Little Kickers we love that our kids are just kids. And I also think our classes provide many parents with an element of escapism from their own ‘grown up’ world. For an hour a week, our kids can believe that they are stood on a pirate ship, or that they are in the jungle amongst tigers and lions. Our excellent coaches are taught to utilise the imagination of the children, and use games and techniques that develop sound basic football skills, but the children learn without realising they are doing so. So when they are running away from the sleeping bear, they are practicing turning, balance, awareness of space and other elements of football. Isn’t this the most fun way of learning?

Kick It Out

2010-06-08T20:42:00.001+10:00

Racism

In spite of valiant attempts by a number of bodies, and an overall sentiment that it is unacceptable, racism within Football has unfortunately never been fully eradicated. Fortunately instances of racism are becoming less common nowadays, but there are still murmurs in the terraces and whispers on the pitch.

At Little Kickers, we promote equality. Our sessions are inclusive of everyone, no matter what their race, background or gender. Unfortunately, due to the age of the children who attend our classes, there is sometimes a lack of awareness around racial differences because their everyday experiences are still limited, and also it has become such a controversial subject which many people find difficult to address. As a result of their limited exposure to the world, some of our children may have never spoken to a black man or woman, the same as some children may have never seen an Asian or Chinese man or woman. And because of this, there is a lack of understanding about differences in appearance.

At Little Kickers, we understand the importance of educating children in safe and fun surroundings. We also encourage children from different walks of life to get involved in our sessions, and our coaches come from a broad range of races and nationalities. Not only does this result in our sessions being inclusive, but it also encourages children to develop and understanding of cultural and social and physical differences in people. Football is a great tool in breaking down racial and social barriers, as Eusebio once said “Black or white, we all have football under our skin.”

In the same breath, we do not view the primary aim of our classes as breaking down racial barriers – our main objective is to provide kids with a fun introduction to sport. We realise the people we deal with at Little Kickers are more often than not like-minded, and we realise that it is only a small minority within the footballing community that still hold racist views. However, that small minority of people can still have an incredibly damaging effect on the lives of others and, for this reason, Little Kickers has decided to support the Kick It Out campaign (www.kickitout.org). Further details about this campaign can be found on the Little Kickers website.

We hope that through this campaign we can encourage everyone who attends our classes to view each other as individuals with a shared love of football, rather than differentiating people by their physical appearance.

Poetry Corner

2010-05-12T05:59:00.002+10:00

Our classes are fun and we aim to provide,
A fun filled program with no social divide,
The creed, the colour, the name doesn’t matter,
Kids learning football - parents sit and chatter.

The perfect recipe for expanding knowledge and skills,
With a family atmosphere, and very cool drills,
A wave of enthusiasm from our coaching team,
And banter from parents, makes this place a dream.

One thing I should tell you, and for this there’s no blame,
Little Kickers is not a guaranteed passport to fame,
Maybe we’ll produce the next Beckham or Best,
An ex-Little Kicker with Australia’s badge on their chest.

This is not why we do it, this I must stress,
There’s enough pressure on kids; it has become a mess.
So consider it escapism, a platform on which to build,
In a safe environment, our sessions are fun -filled.

Through our ‘play not push’ attitude, it’s easy to learn,
Skills such as listening, sharing, and taking turns,
Little Kickers has four different age groups all signed and sealed,
Which allows us to provide a very level playing field.

We want every child in the country to have this opportunity,
To enjoy Football in the manner it should be played, in unity,
So please get in contact, we are waiting for your call,
Learning, making friends and Football for one and all. (well… 18 months - 7 year olds!)

Childhood obesity – a weight off your mind.

2010-04-29T21:28:00.002+10:00

Over the last ten years the colossal media publicity regarding the much debated topic of childhood obesity has seemed to die down somewhat, but the problem is not going away – if anything, it is getting worse. Recent figures from Canada suggest that 90% of pre schoolers are not getting the recommended 90 minutes of physical exercise they require each day. Increasingly sedentary lifestyles, the hectic pace of modern life etc all conspire to prevent us from ensuring that our kids have access to the amount of exercise they need. However a lot can be done, and we, at Little Kickers, feel it is our duty to help where we can.

Even the most proactive parents can struggle to motivate their children to get out and about. The lure of the Xbox is too much; Power Rangers is on TV, or the famous phrase “In a minute, Mum!” Trust me, this comes from my own personal experience. Now there is no excuse - summer has arrived. My official first day of summer is when my Dad’s legs come out in the o-so-very short shorts; admittedly my summer usually starts in February because of this! It was only today I was stood with my Dad wondering why the Frisbee appears larger the closer it gets….and then it hit me!

Apologies on the horrendous joke, we will move on. At Little Kickers we have the pleasure of teaching young kids football at weekly classes. Our experienced coaches deliver progressive and challenging sessions to aid learning and development of your children. Unfortunately, more often than not, we only get an hour a week with them. If we could, we would love to entertain them all week, but we feel we should allow you some time with them! We understand that Little Kickers has addictive qualities: our coaches, our games and the friends they make at the sessions, usually the hardest part of our sessions is trying to convince them that they need to go home!

Why not take Little Kickers with you? If you have a football, (if not we sell them on the website) why not find an hour during the busy week to go out and have a kick around. Some of my fondest memories as a child were kicking the ball as hard as I could at my Dad, he thought I was shooting; I was just waiting for the day he had to get out of the way from one of my shots. (If interested he moved when I was 13, on August 14th …true story!) I loved it, and I am sure your kids would too. Not only will it combat childhood obesity which, as mentioned, is an increasingly serious problem, but it will also compliment the skills they are learning at their Little Kickers sessions.

Unfortunately, the time we have available to spend with our kids is becoming more and more scarce as time goes by – the general stresses of modern life - work, chores, driving to and from activities etc, all conspire to prevent us from spending real quality time with our kids. I’m sure every parent reading this blog will have experienced their kids trying to copy what they do – pretending to speak on the phone or cook supper - after all, kids learn by example. Committing to taking just 30 minutes each day where you switch off the phone and tune out of the stresses of everyday life and focus 100% on playing physical games with your kids can have immeasurable benefits on their health (as well as your own!). It’s one thing taking them to activity classes so they can learn specific skills, but they are much more likely to view exercise as a routine part of their lives if they are doing it to mimic their parents.

There are a lot of things you can do; simply set up a target: a jumper, an empty flower pot etc. Compete against each other to see who can get nearest the target. Award points for the area the ball lands in. Why not play against each other? You will be amazed how competitive you get. Please be gentle with them, they are only young…performing celebratory dances after you have beaten them may damage their confidence somewhat! Encourage children to use both feet to kick with. Penalties are easy to set up, and siblings and parents can join in by going in goal, or help setting up obstacles. You’ll be amazed at how involved your children get in this type of game-playing.

With the holidays coming up, this is a perfect way to spend time with your child, doing what they really enjoy, leading by example and encouraging them to view sport as a normal, routine (but fun!) part of everyday life.

Little Kickers on BBC Working Lunch!

2010-03-30T00:06:00.002+11:00

We were recently featured on BBC Working Lunch in the UK! You can view the video of us on the program here...