Justin Bredeman is the president of , a national soccer program based in the Harrisburg, Pa. area that introduces children ages 3 – 8 to the game of soccer, as well as character development and fundamental life skills. Bredeman first became a Soccer Shots franchisee in 2005 after working for Auntie Anne’s for over 8 years. In addition to running his franchise business in Lancaster, Pa., he became a partner of Soccer Shots in 2009, along with former collegiate soccer teammates Jeremy Sorzano and Jason Webb. Now a multi-million-dollar company, Soccer Shots has more than 70 territories across the United States and Canada and reaches about 100,000 children per year.
Life and career
Bredeman was born in Albany, Ga. and grew up in northern Virginia. He began playing soccer at age 5 and went on to play club soccer for the Braddock Road Firebirds in Virginia. He played NCAA division III soccer at Messiah College in Grantham, Pa., where he became co-captain. At Messiah, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. At Auntie Anne’s, Inc., a franchise company that specializes in hand-rolled soft pretzels in retail centers, Bredeman gained his franchise experience in his roles as Store Support Representative, International Operations Specialist, Northeast Regional Director and National Director of Store Support. As National Director of Store Support, he oversaw five regional directors in the United States that supported over 280 franchisees and nearly 800 Auntie Anne’s stores. In 2005, Bredeman purchased a Soccer Shots franchise in Lancaster, Pa., which he has been running since. In 2006, he became the Director of Development for , a faith-based non-profit focused on microenterprise development in impoverished countries around the world. During his two and a half years with HOPE International, its budget increased from $4 million to $6.4 million. In 2009, Sorzano and Webb invited him to do a consulting gig for Soccer Shots. Soon after, they asked him to join the franchising company and he became a third partner of Soccer Shots Franchising, LLC. Bredeman currently lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with his wife and three children.
Non-profit work
Bredeman, along with the two other partners, helped to found , the non-profit arm of Soccer Shots, in 2009. Global Goals partnered with , 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 Bredeman 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
