Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to help coach a Sounders FC Youth Camp held at Starfire Sports, the training home of Sounders FC. As someone who grew up in the Seattle soccer scene, it was really breathtaking to see the opportunities these campers were afforded.
For five days, kids as young as four years old participated in drills that used by the Sounders FC Academy at Starfire Stadium, the field where the First Team plays its Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches. This is something I never could have imagined while growing up, as the best soccer camps in the area were usually run by NCAA Division II coaches and staffed by Division III players.
The positive effect of the Sounders’ involvement in the community becomes immediately evident when you speak to the campers. I asked most of the kids who their favorite players were as a way to get to know them. For every kid that said Cristiano Ronaldo or Leo Messi, there was another exclaiming Marco Pappa or Andy Rose.
Ten years ago you’d be lucky to find someone whose favorite player was tied to U.S. soccer. With Sounders FC becoming such an instrumental aspect of the Washington community, many of these kids can watch their heroes week in and week out.
Perhaps the most striking effect of the high-quality and accessible soccer in the state is the increased ability of kids at a young age. Last week at Starfire, I saw a 10-year-old beat a defender with an elastico before playing a perfect reverse pass in behind the defense. I even saw an eight-year-old beat a defender by performing a rainbow to get the ball over his head before striking a volley into the top corner! It was truly a humbling experience.
This is not to say that only kids with exceptional ability will have a valuable experience at the camps. The Sounders FC Youth Programs team has worked closely with the Academy coaches to develop an intricate curriculum that mirrors the player development methodology used by the Sounders.
This curriculum details effective drills focusing on dribbling, possession and finishing so that each camper has a holistic understanding of the game.
“Camps are a starting point for the player development initiative,” said Sounders FC Director of Youth Programs Michael Morris. “We have had several Academy players start at camps and have even identified players for our new Sounders Discovery Program through camps.”
While these camps afford legitimate scouting opportunities, the main focus is on improving every player.
There were kids in my group who, at the beginning of the week, struggled to dribble through cones and pass the ball more than five yards. By the end of the week, they were adept at keeping possession and performing step overs and Cruyff Turns. Imagine an eight-year-old beating a defender with a Cruyff turn!
As a die-hard American soccer fan, I was ecstatic to see just how influential Sounders FC has been in developing well-rounded soccer players. Thanks to a detailed and carefully crafted curriculum, every camper will walk away from the camp with a love for the game and an experience he or she will never forget.
