I was first introduced to Tiny Troops Soccer through a fellow military spouse while I was pregnant with my first child. While I knew it wasn’t going to be something we could participate in for a few years, I filed it away to remember once our son was old enough.
Flash-forward to 4 years later, we were living in Jacksonville, FL in the summer of 2020 and I was desperate for an activity not only for my son, but to get our entire family out of the house. Thankfully I remembered about Tiny Troops Soccer and looked up to see if it was in our area.
After looking into it more, I learned that by signing up my son for soccer through Tiny Troops, it would not only provide a safe weekly outdoor activity for us where we were able to meet other families in our area, but soccer could also help my son improve his gross and fine motor skills.
My son had never participated in a group sport, but his coach was so welcoming and made his first practice so fun for all the kids! From that first practice, I really could see how Tiny Troops Soccer is truly there for the whole military family!
Tiny Troops Soccer is “run by military spouses and parents like you, we’re not just another soccer program; we’re a community that understands your unique needs.” While parents should not expect their children to become the next Megan Rapione or David Beckham, Tiny Troops Soccer helps kids improve their listening and fine motor skills.
Military Mom Collective was able to speak with Amy Schweizer, founder and director of Tiny Troops Soccer, in a recent podcast episode. Schweizer is also a retired Marine spouse, mom of three, former professional soccer player, and children’s author of the book “I will Be Okay: Adventures of a Military Kid.”
“…our focus is on just getting them around other kids and used to being in a group with a lot of stimulus going on and a lot of over stimulus, you know, just like craziness going on, getting them to listen to someone besides mom and dad, kind of getting them to operate a little bit independently of mom and dad. We’re working on gross motor, listening skills. We’re trying to lay the foundation so that when they are age appropriate for the traditional recreational soccer team, that they’re more ready for that. And so we focus a lot on those other skills with some soccer in it.”
Each week, kids go to “soccer island” and get to play games, meet new friends, and get their energy out! “Every activity we do, there’s a purpose behind it.” says Schweizer. “They need to be able to move. They need to, we’re trying to get them to fall in love with play in general and then hopefully soccer.” 
As parents, and especially parents of military kids, we often worry about our children feeling accepted and comfortable where they are. Participating in Tiny Troops Soccer, you feel that sense of community. Since a majority of the coaches are military spouses, they understand the hardships military children face and make sure their time on soccer island is memorable and enjoyable!
If you are interested in seeing if Tiny Troops Soccer is in your area and signing your child up for classes, you can do so by visiting their website here. Enrollment opens every month on the 15th! And don’t fret if Tiny Troops is not currently in your location, there are employment opportunities to join the team as a coach or visit their YouTube page for virtual classes.
See you on the field soon!
This is awesome and I’m loving this partnership! SO cool that they have virtual classes too. Very inclusive for military families.