THE TEAM
Our Staff Members are truly teachers of life and soccer! Our Directors and Coaches are knowledgeable, loving, kind, caring, ethical, intelligent, dedicated, fun mentors of great character and soccer ability. Parents love the many unique, positive ways in which our coaches get children to learn difficult skills, work hard and achieve their potential. Our trustworthy staff work to a "one of a kind" proven curriculum.
Madison Lead Coach
Phone: (615)-873-0404
Coming from a small village in Northeast England, Sam moved to the United States in 2014 to further pursue his passion for soccer at the collegiate level. While earning his bachelor’s degree in business management, Sam was a member of the men’s soccer team at Bethel University in McKenzie, TN. Upon receiving his undergraduate degree, he continued to earn his master’s degree in education at King University while also coaching the women’s soccer team. Sam coached another year at the collegiate level at Middle Tennessee State University and is also a licensed physical education teacher.
During his time at Bethel University, Sam met his now wife, Jessy, whom he married in December of 2020. Their family consists of sons Asher & Ellis who will no doubt be immersed in the soccer world too! Along with spending time with his family and two dogs, Sam enjoys playing golf, going to the beach and cheering on his favorite team, Manchester United. Sam is excited to be a part of the HappyFeet Legends team in Nashville and looks forward to seeing so many kids and families out enjoying the wonderful sport of soccer.
Soccer has always been a part of Ana’s life. She started at a young age and played all through High School at Bentonville High School. She is passionate about the sport and is excited to share that passion with the players and families that are a part of HappyFeet. She believes soccer had such a positive impact on her life, she cannot wait to give your child the same genuine experience! When she's not working she loves spending time with her family and chasing around her adorable son, Brody who will finally be old enough for little toes in the fall!
Hey, my name is Coach John. I am originally from Chicago, IL but have lived in Nashville, TN. for the last 4 years. I played soccer from elementary school through college, where I played at Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri.
I have been coaching for 5 years, and have loved every second of it. I joined the HappyFeet Team back in January 2019 and have loved working with all our Nashville families!
Owner & Operator, Matt Holdaway has played soccer and worked with children his entire life. Matt played soccer at William Jewell College in Kansas City, helping his team become NAIA Heart of America Region V Champions and reach the Final Four of the 2006 NAIA National Tournament.
The majority of his youth soccer experience was marked by coaching styles focused on one and two-touch passing, emphasizing winning at all cost. It was not until college that Matt was first exposed to playing a style of soccer that emphasized the skill and footwork of the individual player. This past experience adds to Matt's passion for coaching the HappyFeet Legends way.
Matt has a passion for people. He loves working with kids of all ages, helping them to develop into confident, highly-relational young men and women. This has been a theme throughout his life. From church-work and mission trips, to working in orphanages and soccer camps, he has always found life in giving to younger generations.
Matt continued that journey of service to younger generations by joining the HappyFeet Legends organization in Kansas City. It was there that Matt’s passion for developing children and his love for the game of soccer were united. As he studied and experimented with coaching the HappyFeet Legends way, he became more and more confident that focusing on the primary skill of individual foot work was critical to developing children into both brilliant players and people. Matt then had the opportunity to experience running HappyFeet operations during his time as the HappyFeet Program Director for the home office in Kansas City. This responsibility helped prepare him for the transition to operating multiple HappyFeet Legends franchises.
Over the past 10 years, Matt has helped grow a team that operates HappyFeet Legends programming in NW Arkansas, Springfield MO, and Nashville TN. Through the addition of key support positions and systemizing many administrative tasks, we are able to allow our local Directors and their team of coaches to focus solely on what is most important - positively impacting the lives of children in our programs through soccer, the HappyFeet Way!
