Windham’s Eagle Soccer Camp teaches skills and sportsmanship to younger students

By Matt Pascarella

In the third year of Windham’s Eagle Soccer Camp, campers are taught skills of the game from the WHS boys’ and girls’ varsity teams, along with help from Windham High School graduates, soccer coaches and community members. The money made from the week-long camp held at Windham from July 21 to July 25 goes back to the varsity boys’ and girls’ soccer programs.

Windham sixth-grader Makayla Swander, right, holds back
opponent Trent Richards going after the ball during a 
scrimmage at the Eagle Soccer camp at Windham High
School on Friday, July 25.
PHOTO BY MATT PASACRELLA

“The motivation for me has always been to try and create a soccer family and bring that across multiple generations of former players, current players and future players. It’s all about relationships,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach and Eagle Soccer Camp organizer Jeff Neal. “I was super fortunate as a young player that I had coaches that tried to foster and instill that sense of community and family. When I started it, that’s what I wanted to try, but this has exceeded my expectations and that’s because of the people – this doesn’t happen without a lot of people. That’s the drive; to make something that people feel a part of but at the same time, it’s as much community building and relationship building. I want kids to know how to play the right way.”

The goal of the camp is to improve soccer skills for both the campers and high school players; this helps keep the programs competitive.

“I like doing soccer and I thought I would improve,” said Windham sixth grader Makayla Swander. “We learned how to dribble better and how to make it so (an opponent) can’t take the ball without fouling. It’s fun working with the bigger kids, they make it fun, and they teach us a lot.”

At the very end of the week the counselors give each camper an evaluation form with feedback; it had something good they’d done, something they need to work on, but remaining positive. Hopefully, this helps to incentivize the campers and shows that this camp is a place where they can come to get better and every player, regardless of age, is always trying to get better.

Landon Carey, a Windham sixth grader, wanted to participate to get skills and have fun. He had fun doing the activities and learned that leaning over the ball drives it down and leaning back drives it up. Carey made a lot of friends and wants to come back next year.

“I love helping kids,” said Windham graduate Josh Hancock. “I love seeing them enjoy it and have a good time. It’s awesome to get out here and help them however I can. They love to learn, but most important they love the game and they’re building foundations and just enjoying it, which is the important part; being here to watch them play and asking myself what I can do to help them is really important and helps me in the season and really for the rest of my life.

Girls’ varsity soccer coach Deb Lebel said the camp gives coaches a peek at what the future holds, and it gives the younger kids a chance to work with possible potential future teammates.

Lebel said the goal for the week is to get the kids as many touches on the ball and even if they picked up only one skill that improved their game to also have a lot of fun with a variety of different people. Some of these kids have built a connection here and they won’t miss a varsity game. There’s high energy in the stands which turns into high energy on the field. The younger kids know all the players and that connection makes the varsity players work harder.

"I’ve been working at it since it started, and I always have a really fun time teaching the kids how to learn to do stuff,” said Windham graduate Devan Kennie. “Once (the kids) are motivated they get really into it and really excited. Sometimes during the demos I’m still learning stuff, too; it’s not only them learning, I’m learning too. It has been a very positive week.” <