It’s official – Australian kids are soccer mad. The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that outdoor soccer is by far the most popular organised sport for boys over the age of five and is rapidly gaining favour with girls.

Stacy Alogdellis sees no reason for children to wait until they start school to enjoy the benefits. He established Soccajoeys as a way of developing preschoolers’ physical and social skills in a fun environment.

Designed for children aged between three and five years, the activities include skill demonstrations, games and instructional participation. Young soccer enthusiasts experience this program in an indoor environment, using toddler-safe equipment, he says. They’re coached and mentored by professionals as their parents look on.

While the business was established in 2007, franchising began only recently – the first franchise will be operating in Sydney from January 2010.

There is heavy demand for this kind of program and franchising was the only way to satisfy the need, says Alogdellis. The Soccajoeys vision is to be the leading brand in childhood development through sport and introduce this highly accredited program to Australian parents with children to offer the children the best possible start to life. In order to achieve that aim we are looking to penetrate every Australian state.

Franchisees don’t need to be brilliant soccer players themselves – a four week training program teaches all the necessary skills and there is a high level of ongoing support. The $30,000 to $50,000 initial investment includes advertising and marketing as well as access to Soccajoeys centralised call centre facility which handles parents’ inquiries and organises registrations to the classes.

We’re looking for people who are dedicated to running a successful business and who have the ability and passion to coach preschool children, says Alogdellis. Our coaches get a real buzz from seeing the quiet and shy little children who turn up for their first session beaming with confidence as they develop their physical, social and educational skills. And there’s nothing to match the thrill of knowing that children look up to you as a role model. Our coaches love the satisfaction of knowing they’re having such a positive effect on young children’s development.