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Soccer camp focuses on skills, teamwork
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Representing Jamaica, campers and high school coaches went all out to show their spirit during World Cup Day at Canfield Soccer Boosters’ Summer Kid’s Camp.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Canfield High School Soccer Coach Phil Simone presented each camper with a certificate at the end of the week-long soccer camp.
By ABBY SLANKER
To help players prepare for the Canfield Soccer Club’s Recreational League season, the Canfield Soccer Boosters hosted its annual Summer Kid’s Camp June 20-24 at the Herbert Road Fields.
The boosters sponsored the youth soccer camp with the help of Canfield High School boys and girls soccer team members and their coach Phil Simone.
Each day, campers practiced passing, shooting, dribbling or defense with an emphasis on individual skills, teamwork, sportsmanship and fun.
The boosters made the camp even more fun by scheduling themes, including: Monday as Cardinal Day, during which campers wore Canfield clothes; Tuesday as crazy hat day. On Wednesday, campers wore their clothes backward. Thursday was Cheer For Your Coach Day, during which the high school coaches competed against each other in a couple drills and the campers made signs and cheered them on.
On Friday, the campers dressed up for their World Cup team and competed against the other teams.
The club received donations from Canfield Dairy Queen and Whitehouse Fruit Farm, as well as Eurosport/Passback program. Other snacks and prizes were donated by high school soccer parents.
On the last day of camp, the booster held drawings with each of the camper’s names included. Prizes awarded included Columbus Crew hats, a soccer ball, water bottles with Toys R Us gift cards, Subway gift card, Barnes and Noble gift card, Eurosport gift cards and two tickets to a Columbus Crew game.
One lucky winner received a ball signed by each member of the high school boys soccer team and another winner received a ball signed by each member of the girls soccer team.
According to Heidi Saleh, coordinator of the camp, the event is a fundraiser for Canfield Soccer Boosters.
“We use the money to fund the program. With the new “pay to participate” stipulation for activities, the boosters decided that no student who gets selected for the team would be unable to play due to financial difficulties. Booster money would cover that fee if necessary,” Saleh said.
At the end of the camp, as Coach Simone addressed the campers, he invited them to attend a high school soccer game.
“We want our rival crowds to be as large as they can be and you can help us accomplish that by coming to the games,” Simone told the campers.
Upon completion of the camp, each participant received a camp T-shirt and a participation certificate signed by Simone.