Clairvoyance is a gift to few, but coaches of Clarkston’s girls soccer program are doing their best to create the same knowledge base through simple observation. The coaches, assistant coach Megan Horstman and head coach Sarah Smith, ran the Future Wolves Soccer Camp at Clarkston Junior High School June 18-22.
With the camp, the pair get a good look at the girls entering fourth-ninth grades in the fall, the same girls likely to cycle through the high school ranks in the next handful of years.
‘It’s good to get to know those younger players and their parents,? Smith said.
‘It’s nice to see them and hopefully one day they’ll play for Clarkston.?
‘It’s a ton of fun and I love getting to see our future players. We bring the camp around in the summer to raise awareness. (We get) to check out the clientele coming up, there’s a lot of good talent around here,? Horstman said.
‘It’s really exciting for us to see the talent. I’m impressed with the skill level and mental toughness out there,? she added.
Twenty-six campers worked on dribbling, passing, shooting, agility and speed and scrimmaged at the end of each day.
Each day nine or 10 Clarkston players assisted their coaches with instruction duties.
‘High school players are role models for the girls,? Horstman said.
‘We have some senior leaders who’ve done a good job helping out with things this week.?
Having the added coaches gives each camper more individualized attention, Smith said.
‘The coaches aren’t in the spotlight, the players are. We have a great group,? she said.
‘If the younger kids see the Clarkston players doing it, they’re going to copy it.?
Eighth-grader Lisa Lyons, who’s played organized soccer for four years, made her second visit to the Future Wolves camp.
‘It’s really fun hanging out with friends and knowing one day you’ll play here,? she said.
Lyons was most happy with learning and improving different moves. Learning the game from her favorite player, Clarkston’s Dani Thomas, made the weeklong festivities more personable.
‘You feel a lot more open if you know them. You’re not as shy, but you still have to learn from them,? Lyons said.
Getting girls in soccer and playing on a regular basis is valuable to the high school soccer teams, Smith said.
‘As long as they’re playing, that’s important. It helps when they get to high school that they’ve had that training.?
Stoking a competitive fire in the girls was an important lesson to teach at the camp.
?(With) so many girls, you want to instill confidence so they don’t drop soccer,? Horstman said.