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KidsUnited, a youth soccer program that uses sports to help children hit developmental milestones, celebrated its first year in north Plano, across the tollway from Stonebriar Mall, in November.
The location, owned by Naureen Mithani and Samira Kamrudin, is the first KidsUnited franchise in Texas.
The specifics
KidsUnited offers 45-minute classes for kids aged 18 months to nine years old.
For the first two years, parents accompany players as they build cognitive and fine motor skills through drills, obstacle courses and soccer-themed matching games. Once players have a grasp on the basics, the focus shifts to mastering technique and building life skills like teamwork and perseverance.
“Little by little, week by week, they’re able to see that they’ve improved themselves,” Mithani said. “It’s really about instilling that confidence in them so that they’re able to try other things, not just soccer.”
KidsUnited is an indoor facility, which makes it accessible for kids who might not be able to play outdoors, head coach Bella Lopez said.
“I have one kid in my [advanced] class that’s allergic to everything outside,” Lopez said.
The backstory
Before opening their location, Mithani and Kamrudin traveled to New Jersey, where the majority of KidsUnited franchises are located.
Mithani’s daughter, who was six at the time, enjoyed the program so much that they decided to bring the franchise home.
“We hadn’t seen anything like that here,” Mithani said. “That focus on soccer plus the life skills in this intentional way was unique and new.”
According to Mithani, all of the coaches at their location have extensive soccer backgrounds. Lopez started her own soccer career at three years old, and now plays semi-professional soccer for Atlético Dallas in addition to teaching at KidsUnited.
