Jason Webb is a former professional soccer player and a partner and co-founder of Soccer Shots, a national soccer program based in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area that introduces children ages three – eight to the game of soccer, as well as character development and fundamental life skills. Webb moved from Charlotte, N.C. to Harrisburg, Pa. in 2002 to start a Soccer Shots business; the first was based in Charlotte by Webb's college and professional soccer teammate, Jeremy Sorzano. Webb became a partner of Soccer Shots Franchising, LLC in 2005 with Sorzano and college teammate Justin Bredeman, and they started franchising the program. Soccer Shots, now a multimillion-dollar company, has more than 70 territories across the United States and Canada and reaches about 100,000 children per year.
Life and career
Webb was born in Hershey, Pa. and grew up in central Pennsylvania. He played youth soccer with the West Shore Soccer Club before playing at Cedar Cliff High School. He played for the nationally ranked NCAA division III soccer at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania with co-Soccer Shots Partners Jeremy Sorzano and Justin Bredeman. Here, he was named an All-American. He graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. After college, Webb played five years of professional soccer, playing for the Charlotte Eagles in the USL Second Division from 1998 to 2001 and the MISL Harrisburg HEAT from 2002 to 2003. Since his retirement from professional soccer, Webb has coached at various levels including youth and high school. He additionally served on the Messiah coaching staff in 2008 during the team's NCAA National Championship run. Webb passed his Certified Public Assistant exam in 1999 and worked as a staff auditor for KPMG Baltimore for one year. In 2002, after playing for the Charlotte Eagles, he began working with Sorzano as a Product Representative for a start-up performance clothing company called Zyflex until 2005, when he became a Soccer Shots partner. He now serves as Partner of Soccer Shots Franchising, LLC and Executive Director of the Soccer Shots Harrisburg program. Webb currently lives in Hummelstown, Pa. with his wife and children.
Non-profit work
Webb, along with the other two partners, helped to found Global Goals, the non-profit arm of Soccer Shots, in 2009. Global Goals partnered with Amandla Ku Lutsha, a non-profit soccer organization based in Khayelitsha, South Africa that helps disadvantaged youth and AIDS orphans through soccer programs. This was inspired by the 2010 World Cup tournament, hosted in South Africa. In June 2010, more than 25 Soccer Shots franchisees and employees traveled to South Africa to help with Amandla's efforts and programs during the World Cup. Soccer Shots pledged $30,000 to Amandla Ku Lutsha in 2009. A portion of all registration fees for Soccer Shots clinics benefits Global Goals and its efforts with Amandla, and certain franchisees have hosted free clinics in their territories to raise donations. Global Goals is in the process of earning 501c3 status.
Awards and recognition
With the help of Webb and his partners, Soccer Shots Franchising, LLC has been included on the following lists:
2008 - Entrepreneur magazine in category of Children's Fitness Programs, #9
