- January 7, 2026
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Taylor Grismore’s five children, ages 9-19, all play soccer.
“Soccer gives them confidence,” Grismore said. “It’s not just about soccer. The coaches (at the Southwest Florida Premier Football Club) are modeling how I want my kids to show up in life.”
Watching the coaches during a team meeting last year inspired Grismore to progress from soccer mom to sponsor. She and her husband Scott own Solara Garden Center on State Road 64.
After that meeting, Grismore went straight to Executive Director Antonio Saviano and asked what sponsorships he had left to fill. The logo for Solara is now featured on the back of the Florida Premier practice jerseys.
Sponsoring the club means sponsoring the players. Florida Premier gives away about $100,000 in scholarships every year.
Because the coaches are such a positive influence on her own children, Grismore wants other children to have that opportunity, too.
Her oldest son, 18-year-old Braden Grismore, is now playing Division 3 soccer in Spain, an opportunity he received because of connections through the club.
Florida Premier offers its players a “pathway” to college scholarships and national leagues.
Prices vary depending on the player's age and if the play is competitive or recreational. To enroll a 7-year-old in the pre-competitive program, which is the bridge between recreation and competitive play, costs $99 a month for nine months.
If traveling, parents have to pay for food, transportation and lodging.
Lorraine Lakes’ Savannah Gray is a single mother and a police officer with the Sarasota Police Department. Her children, 13-year-old JT and 15-year-old Tatum, both play competitive soccer. They started playing the sport at 4 years old.
“(My kids) would have never been able to play soccer if it wasn’t for their scholarships,” Gray said. “There’s no way I would have been able to pull it off.”
The scholarship applications are reviewed by the board of directors and are issued based on a sliding scale. The club doesn’t typically offer full scholarships, but they range from 30-90%.
Saviano said he and the coaches will chip in before a child is turned away, but families like the Grismores often help, too.
Another dad paid for Gray’s daughter to play for a season, and Grismore sponsored a child last year, completely separate from the nursery’s sponsorship.
“This kid showed up to every practice and every game, but (the parents) couldn’t keep making their financial payments,” Grismore said. “It broke my heart.”
The club also sets aside a percentage of its registration fees to add to the scholarship fund. The percentages vary from year to year depending on how many kids register, but it's typically about 8%.
Most of the scholarships go to the competitive players, but there is also a recreation league that still operates as the Braden River Soccer Club. The two clubs merged in July 2024.
In total, there are over 1,600 kids in the club, and any one of them can apply for a scholarship if needed.
The club provides an opportunity for parents to help cover their own costs, too. If they volunteer at the concession stand, half of that shift’s profits are deposited into their child’s account.
Some parents, like Grismore, enjoy volunteering and add their earnings to the scholarship fund.
“It doesn’t matter what sport, there’s a perception that it’s so expensive to play,” Saviano said. “But people also need to know that there are ways we can make it work.”
Gray knows that to be true from experience. She noted that no matter what the issue is, the coaches will find a solution.
“We’ve been happy with Premier,” she said. “I wouldn’t go anywhere else. It’s a soccer family. (Saviano) goes out of his way to approach everybody and makes them feel comfortable and at home.”
The sponsorship program runs on a two-year cycle, so Saviano is gearing up to fundraise again. To become a sponsor or make a donation to the scholarship fund, email Saviano at [email protected].
