Free kicks with Great Jobs KC: Students develop 3D-printed soccer tee amid World Cup

With Kansas City buzzing from the FIFA World Cup, one group of students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City spent the past month proving the city’s next big soccer story might not happen on the field, but in the classroom.

Great Jobs KC graduates at UMKC; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

“Kansas City is currently the epicenter of the global sports world, but these students are proving we are also the epicenter of next-generation talent,” said Kate Crockett, director of communications for Great Jobs KC.

A July 2 graduation ceremony celebrated the first National Science Foundation-funded summer cohort, a partnership between UMKC and Great Jobs KC that paired 24 students with four weeks of technical training before they head into paid internships with local employers.

“This isn’t your average summer learning program,” said Crockett, describing a high-intensity environment where students get their hands dirty in manufacturing roles.”

Along the way, they earned industry certifications, tackled engineering projects and, in one case, designed a 3D-printed soccer kicking tee that could help beginners bend it like the pros.

“We had really high expectations for this cohort, and they exceeded every one of them,” said Darran Cairns, associate professor and degree program coordinator at UMKC. “They’ve been absolutely phenomenal, and we’re so proud of them.”

Darran Cairns, associate professor and degree program coordinator at UMKC, poses with Great Jobs KC student Harun Hussein at the program’s graduation; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

A tee-rific idea takes shape

Among the projects on display at the graduation, the 3D-printed soccer kicking tee was a fitting nod to Kansas City’s World Cup excitement.

3D-printed soccer tee variations on display at the Great Jobs KC graduation; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

A student team designed and refined a training aid that elevates a soccer ball, helping players consistently strike free kicks with the same contact point. The project was intentionally built for beginners and young players developing technique.

“We got the idea from rugby kicking tees,” said Campbell Higgins, a UMKC student participating in the Great Jobs KC program. “We looked at that and asked, ‘How can we improve on it for free kicks?'”

After multiple prototypes, the team simplified the design.

“As we progressed, we learned that this latest design really is the best for getting that curve,” he said. “This is the best example we have.”

The students quickly discovered engineering is as much about iteration as inspiration, they said. Taller versions proved unstable, components snapped off during testing, and the team repeatedly adjusted dimensions before landing on a final raised model.

“When you’re learning soccer, kids tend to drag their feet on the ground when they’re hitting it,” said Higgins. “By raising it up, we don’t have that issue.”

Engineering a bright future

While the soccer tee captured attention, Cairns said, the biggest transformation happened inside the students themselves.

“A lot of them were looking for something more than the jobs they were doing,” he said. “They’re looking for rewarding careers where their creativity, their ability to think, and the skills they’ve developed are really needed.”

The eight-week program combines four weeks of hands-on engineering and construction training at UMKC with four weeks embedded alongside Kansas City employers, helping students transition directly into high-demand STEM and skilled trade careers.

One unexpected moment captured what the program meant to students, Cairns said. Originally, organizers had not planned a graduation ceremony. The students changed that.

“They really felt that they had accomplished something,” he explained. “You can see the looks on their faces when they’re talking to people about what they’re doing.”

“These young scholars were ready and open, and the conversations were great,” added Donald Jones, workshop facilitator for the program. “I feel like they inspired me as much as I may have inspired them. It was a phenomenal experience, and I can’t wait to do more.”