Free Footie Soccer Society

What Free Footie Soccer Society does

Free Footie Soccer Society, operating as Free Play for Kids, is an Edmonton-based registered nonprofit charity founded in 2007 (gaining charitable status in 2020) that delivers free after-school sports, childcare, and food literacy programs to children and youth in high-needs neighborhoods of Edmonton and Maskwacis, Alberta. Its core offerings include Free to Play (daily after-school sports and care for grades 3-6 across 27 schools), the Wolves Athletic Club (sports leadership and competitive city-wide leagues for grades 6-12 in basketball, soccer, and ball/ice hockey), Jr. Wolves (grade 6 school teams), Food to Play (nutrition literacy, snacks, and take-home food hampers), Welcome to Play (refugee family support), Play Downtown (workplace and public-space activations), and the Future Leaders Scholarship ($10,000 x 4 years). The underlying 'platform' is a proprietary curriculum called Sport to Life, grounded in evidence-based frameworks (SEL, TPSR, SBYD, PYD, TISP), commercialized externally as the Sport to Life: Coach 1 course ($349 direct, $599 + GST via MacEwan University) and supported by in-house Food Literacy Workshops sold to schools at $180-$1,400.

The organization's business model is donation-and-grant funded with selective commercial monetization. Revenue streams include individual donations structured as tiered monthly giving (Dream Team at $25/$75/$150/$300 per month), corporate sponsorships (Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation: CAD $4.2M over 5 years for hockey; Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities for soccer; various named program sponsors), government and foundation grants (City of Edmonton FCSS, Government of Alberta, Butler Family Foundation, Allard Foundation, F.K. Morrow Foundation), and modest paid-product revenue from curriculum/workshop sales plus branded merchandise. Programs are intentionally free to families under a 'contribute what you can' model. Distribution is school-based and community-recreation-facility-based, with intake handled directly by staff (no self-service online registration) and growth driven by word-of-mouth, community events, and newsletter (FP Insider) engagement.

Program reach is regional (Edmonton and Maskwacis) with 400+ kids served daily on weekdays, approximately 1,000+ youth participating in flag football, and partnerships anchoring hockey (Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation) and soccer (Canadian Tire Jumpstart) as flagship funded pathways. Survey-reported outcomes include 98.1% of parents reporting children made new friends, 92.6% reporting improved mental health and school performance, and the organization claims $4.50 of community impact per $1 invested. Leadership includes Executive Director Tim Adams, Board Chair Rebecca Rubuliak (Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation at Skills Society), Treasurer Erin Kalansky (Partner at MNP LLP), and a board drawing from Alberta Blue Cross, YMCA of Northern Alberta, Gymnastics Canada, and other civic-sector organizations.

Name

Free Footie Soccer Society

Legal name

Free Play for Kids

Website

https://freeplayforkids.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Free Play for Kids is an Edmonton-based nonprofit founded in 2007 that delivers free after-school sports, childcare, and food literacy programs across 27 schools to children and newcomer families in high-needs neighborhoods of Edmonton and Maskwacis, Alberta.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Sports and Community Development Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Recreational & Intramural Sports Programs (MPAKACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE), Youth & Amateur Sports Tournaments (MPAGAMAF)

Keywords

• Youth sports programs
• After-school childcare
• Nonprofit youth development
• Food literacy education
• Community sports programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and monthly donations from individual supporters. Monthly donors join the 'Dream Team' at tiered levels ($25, $75, $150, $300/month) with escalating benefits. One-time donations also accepted.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Major corporate partnerships including naming rights for programs and pathways. Significant partners include Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation ($4.2M over 5 years for hockey), Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities (soccer pathway), and various program sponsors at school sites and for Food to Play.
3. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from government bodies (Alberta, City of Edmonton) and community foundations (Butler Family Foundation, Allard Foundation, F.K. Morrow Foundation) to support operations and specific programs.
4. Course and Workshop Sales: Revenue from selling the Sport to Life: Coach 1 training course ($349) and Food Literacy Workshops to schools ($180 per class, $650 for 4 classes, $1,400 for 10 classes). Also offered through MacEwan University Continuing Education for $599 + GST.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including snapback hats ($35), tote bags ($28), hoodies ($45), denim hats ($30), and mugs ($20) through the Free Play Shop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Free Footie Soccer Society, operating as Free Play for Kids, is a registered nonprofit charity founded in 2007 that delivers free after-school sports, childcare, and food literacy programs to children and youth in Edmonton and Maskwacis, Alberta. Programs include daily after-school sports for grades 3-6, a teen sports leadership club, food education with snacks and hampers, refugee family support, and a corporate activation team. Paid offerings include a coach training course and food literacy workshops sold to schools.

Product overview

Free Play for Kids operates as a multi-program community organization offering free and low-cost youth sports and development programs in Edmonton, Alberta. The core offerings include: Free to Play (daily after-school sports program for grades 3-6), Wolves Athletic Club (sports leadership program for grades 6-12 with basketball, soccer, and hockey), Food to Play (food education and nourishment), Jr. Wolves (school sports teams for grade 6), Welcome to Play (refugee support through play), Future Leaders Scholarship (post-secondary scholarships), and Play Downtown (corporate activation team). The organization also offers paid products including Sport to Life: Coach 1 training course ($349) and Food Literacy Workshops for schools ($180-$1,400). All core programs are provided at no cost to families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wolves Athletic Club: Sports leadership program for youth in Grades 6 to 12 competing in basketball, soccer, and ball/ice hockey across city-wide tournaments and leagues.
• Food to Play
• Free to Play
• Dream Team

Products and services

• Free to Play Daily after-school sports and care program for kids in grades 3-6 (ages 8-12) in Edmonton and Maskwacis, Alberta. Runs Monday to Friday out of select Edmonton Public, Edmonton Catholic, and Maskwacis schools, providing snacks, equipment, and sports programming at no cost to families.
• Wolves Athletic Club Sports leadership program for youth in grades 6-12 engaging them in the athlete-for-life pathway. Teams compete in basketball, soccer, and ball/ice hockey in community and competitive city-wide leagues across Edmonton.
• Food to Play Food education and nourishment program providing nutritional literacy, food classes, take-home food hampers, and recipes for Free Play kids and families. Includes daily snacks, weekly food classes prepared by a certified nutritionist, and monthly food hampers.
• Jr. Wolves School sports teams for grade 6 students providing opportunity to train with committed teams and caring coaches in city-wide leagues. Teams available in soccer, basketball, and ball hockey.
• Welcome to Play Program helping recent refugees get relief from the stress of moving to a new city through play and fun for the whole family.
• Future Leaders Scholarship Yearly scholarship award of $10,000 x 4 years ($40,000 total) to youth who developed through Free Play programs and showed exceptional leadership. Open to youth involved in Free Play programs for at least two years.
• Play Downtown Free Play Activation Team that brings play experiences to downtown Edmonton offices, building foyers, or any downtown meet-up spot for team-building and community connection.
• Sport to Life: Coach 1 Training course for coaches to teach life skills through sport and play, integrating skills into session plans using engaging, play-based challenges. Designed for leaders working with children aged 7-11. Course is 25 hours (hybrid: 4 hours in-person + 21 hours asynchronous self-study). Price: $349. Also offered through MacEwan University Continuing Education for $599 + GST.
• Food Literacy Workshop Hands-on food literacy education workshop for schools teaching children about nutrition, food security, and healthy meal preparation. Single class $180, 4-class package $650, annual subscription $1,400 for 10 classes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98.1% of parents report their children made new friends at Free Play
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• AMA's School Garden StudiosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to bring hands-on food literacy education into classrooms across Alberta, providing interactive classes teaching children about nutrition, food security, and the benefits of growing and preparing healthy meals.
• MacEwan University Continuing EducationsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReseller partner offering the Sport to Life: Coach 1 course through MacEwan's continuing education program for $599 + GST, with the course added to students' official transcripts.
• District CafesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerDowntown Edmonton cafe providing free monthly coffee to Dream Team monthly donors ($10+/month commitment).

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KidSport Canada: National Canadian charity that helps remove financial barriers to youth sport participation through grants to families. Directly comparable mission of barrier-free youth sport access, with national reach and corporate partnerships (including Canadian Tire).
• Sportball: Multi-sport instruction provider for children ages 16 months to 12 years using a proprietary sport-based curriculum. Comparable in delivering structured multi-sport programming to children with a coach-training methodology, though fee-based rather than free.
• Boys & Girls Club of Edmonton: Local youth development organization offering after-school programs, sports, and mentorship to Edmonton children and youth. Closest geographic peer serving overlapping demographics with a similar after-school wraparound model.
• Right to Play Canada: International nonprofit that uses sport and play to protect and educate children in vulnerable communities. Highly comparable as a sport-for-development nonprofit with a coaching methodology, school-based delivery, and donor-funded model — though operating globally rather than locally.

Broad incumbents

• MLSE LaunchPad: Toronto-based sport-for-development facility affiliated with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. Comparable in using sport as a platform for youth development with corporate sports-league backing (analogous to Free Play's EOCF partnership).
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada: National youth mentoring nonprofit pairing adult volunteers with children. Comparable as a donor-funded, school-and-community-based youth development organization, though focused on mentoring rather than sport.
• YMCA of Northern Alberta: Regional YMCA serving Edmonton and Northern Alberta with after-school care, sports, childcare, and newcomer programs. Direct overlap in after-school childcare, youth sports, and newcomer settlement services in the same geography.

Others

• Laureus Sport for Good: Global foundation using sport to address social challenges facing youth. Relevant ecosystem peer as a funder and network operator in the sport-for-development sector, though operating as a grantmaker rather than direct program provider.

Emerging players

• Special Olympics Canada: National organization providing sport training and competition for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Comparable as a donor-funded sport-for-development nonprofit serving equity-deserving populations, with overlap in adaptive/inclusive programming.

Regional players

• Calgary AfterSchool: Calgary-based charity providing after-school programming for children and youth in high-need neighborhoods. Closely comparable wraparound after-school model in a different Alberta city, representing a potential replication market or regional peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/freeplayforkids
• Facebookfacebook.com/freeplayforkidsyeg
• Instagraminstagram.com/freeplayforkids
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/20328584

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Free Footie Soccer Society