Special to the Sun
AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) players put some heat to the field during practice at the Mountain Mesa Park, during their youthful soccer workout this summer.
Kayla Nevius, Denise Green, Chelsea Cormack, Jaimie Olle, Brittany Baker, Valerie Cormack, Liz Bauer, David Green, Logan Campbell, Ben Clark, Lucas Salisbury, Jose Lopez, Jessica Gutzman, Tricia Radis, Kayla Lawhon, Tiana Martin, Abby Stanton, Stephanie Lopez, Patricia Ruiz, Natikan Choorat, Gene Choorat, Cody Lehman, Jesse Farmer, Michael Wooley, Vivian Whelan, and Sarah Bedard are the athletes representing the Kern River Valley for AYSO Area 10A Region 294, Kern Valley Soccer Team.
 At the summer soccer camp at Mt. Mesa Park, Hunter Gross (far left) age 4, going for the ball that is being passed by Spencer Reed, age 5, while Brenna Coasta, age 5 and Hanna Gross age 6, get some instructions from their coach Valerie Cormack. In the background waiting his turn is a youngster known as Noah age 5, (last name was unavailable.) |
These young teens play with a lot of gusto; they have practice three days per week and have been on this schedule since June.
So far they have had the opportunity to play three friendly games with the u19 team that Bakersfield's AYSO region 359 is sending to Hawaii to compete in the AYSO national games.
Soccer summer camp would not happen without the support of Kelly Lehman (who holds an Advanced AYSO coaching certificate and has coached in our region for several years and who is currently Kern Valley AYSO coach instructor, registrar, and u19 boys AYSO coach) and helping Lehman in a big way is Tom Cormack (National AYSO coaching certificate and AYSO coach instructor) and recently Avis Chadwick became director over the youth camp, she brings with her a load of experience coaching youth soccer.
There is also support from a variety of people; “AYSO Region 294 is the main sponsor, and the kids have had help in raising funds with the help of the grandparents of a player who sponsored a car wash to help us raise more than $300 to help pay for the camp and the Sandhu family who own Subway in Lake Isabella sponsored a carwash for us and helped us raise over $100 dollars for the camp,” said Kelly Lehman.
Lehman mention that the summer practice and AYSO competition provides players with the chance to improve their skill, stamina, and understanding of the game.
Lehman said, “In fact, we would not be able to field a competitive high school team without players who are willing to take advantage of every opportunity to improve their skills. It is even more critical since we don't have enough players to field a junior varsity program for soccer at Kern Valley. Playing AYSO or club (in Bakersfield or Ridgecrest) is the only way to get our younger players (who are the future core of the program) the experience they need to compete at the varsity level.”
Lehman pointed out that while attending this camp or any camp or practice during the summer is not a requirement for trying out for the high school team.
Tom Cormack feels that growth as a player comes only with hard work. “Those who practice most and hardest will be best prepared to compete for a spot on the high school team. Very few people have the talent to just step onto the pitch and earn a spot on the team. Those who just coast on their talent really do their team a disservice,” Cormack said.
Three returning players: Nevius, Olle, and Chelsea Cormack also participated in a very intense residential camp at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo this year as well.
Lehman said, “The advantage of this camp is that our players get to participate with and compete against talented players from Division I high schools with practices and games more than three times a day. It gives them a chance to feel what competition for college positions might be like.”
She would go on to say, “But, with a price tag of nearly $700 and being a long drive from our valley I feel very fortunate that three of our players were able to attend.”
Lehman mentioned that the British Soccer camp here in the Kern River Valley at the price of $100 per player remains the best deal for the majority of Kern Valley players.
Cormack and Lehman are both happy with the high school British Soccer camp this year they said it was outstanding. There were 26 players who participated in the three hour per day clinic and received phenomenal coaching.
“I have seen tremendous improvement in the player’s techniques as well as tactics. Players are playing at a much higher level of intensity as those who attended the Cal Poly camp brought back a fiercer competitive spirit and the British Coaches pushed for perfection in execution,” said Lehman.
Cormack said this opportunity to build skills and learn from some of the best, is the greatest.
The coaches have included soccer players that have played on European teams, coached European teams, coached club teams in the states and have been coached by some of the best coaches in the sport and come here to pass on their knowledge to our local players.
Lehman said that this is also great for beginners, who are not quite sure about their skills. They can get some knowledge of the game and take their new-found skills home with them to practice before the soccer season starts.
They can also be able to feel more confident and in control of handling the soccer ball.
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