Who Are We?

Phoenix Sports is a year-round developmental and instructional physical fitness program for children ages 3 through 10.  The core curriculum has been designed to grow and develop strong minds, athletic skills, and positive attitudes. Our coaches help every child reach developmental and physical milestones at a pace and level of instruction that is right for them. 

Our Staff

All of our programs are led by highly trained coaches and teachers knowledgeable in sports, safety, and skill development. Every staff member must pass a background screen, be CPR/First Aid certified, and trained in CDC concussion protocols and allergy recognition.  Philosophically, the staff shares a deep love of sports and will teach the athletes not just skills but the love of the game.   We coach to teach young athletes both new sports skills and important life skills.​

Our exciting physical education curriculum is designed by our owner, Douglas Goldfein, who has 9 years of primary grade classroom teaching experience as well as Camp Director experience. 

Curriculum

We believe in a small group approach in order to deliver individualized instruction and greater one-on-one coaching time in each sports session.  At Phoenix, children will not be lost in large groups and each child will be on a plan to master the sport at a pace that is right for him or her.   

Our curriculum is developed so that each session builds upon the previous session. Our coaches dissect each sport into simpler steps that are based on the child's age and their ability. Each sports session is scaffolded to build and improve on the previous skills learned.

Physical Activity and Critical Life Skills

Research has shown that positive, and structured physical activity for children, helps to promote a healthier lifestyle, boosts brain activity, and helps to develop important social life skills as well as positive character traits.  Phoenix Sports focuses on TEAMWORK, which helps promote, sharing, commitment, focus, and empathy. In addition, we work with intent on self-confidence and patience in the context of positive social interactions. 

We are a non-competitive program which allows for our young athletes to feel safe and have fun, although athletes will be challenged to deliver at the highest level that is right for them, while learning good sportsmanship and a positive attitude. 

Different Skill Levels

All levels of expertise are welcome at Phoenix Sports and because of our approach, all our athletes will have real success, fun and camaraderie.

Phoenix Sports is a year-round developmental and instructional physical fitness program for children ages 4 through 12.  The core curriculum has been designed to grow and develop strong minds, athletic skills, and positive attitudes. Our coaches help every child reach developmental and physical milestones at a pace and level of instruction that is right for them.  

Staff Members

Douglas Goldfein

By way of background, I grew up in Chicago playing soccer, baseball and basketball and inexplicably became a super fan for the Green Bay Packers and my beloved Chicago Cubs.  I have lived in San Jose for four years, after teaching English in Taiwan for seven years.  When I returned, I continued my education, and graduated from Santa Clara University with a Master’s degree in Education and I taught kindergarten for 2 years in San Jose. We then moved and restarted our dream of Phoenix Sports here in Carlsbad. 

When I returned to the United States, I was a Director for Skyhawks Sports Academy, where I developed multi-sports programs for children from ages three to twelve.  I developed curriculum for soccer, basketball, flag football, softball and baseball. I was responsible for the management and training of the coaches in all of these sports.

I have a strong belief that sports is an important outlet for children and it allows them to learn critical social and life skills.  Further, it teaches them the importance of physical fitness and the need for a healthy and strong body. For me, effective sports coaching should be about much more than learning the fundamentals of the game, but how to effectively work with others as a team, accept constructive coaching, know how to win and lose and work hard at a skill to improve.  Further, I believe that imparting the love of the game to the students will cause them to be lifelong fans and participants in sport which will help drive their focus away from some of the destructive behaviors that will tempt them as they grow.