Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Athletes sported their team colors at the world cup soccer games held at the University of Maine at Presque Isle on July 16. Team members painted their faces to represent their country for the Dutch Soccer Academy’s evening competitions in the second week of their annual camp.
Contributed photo/Dave Allen Graphics
Caribou’s Brittany Doak makes a save during a scrimmage at the DSA summer camp this July.
Now in its 11th year, the DSA welcomed 185 players from all over the country in the first camp and approximately 190 in the second week of their summer camps. Five American coaches were joined by a dozen foreign coaching professionals to teach this year’s campers.
Many area soccer players attended the annual event with their high school team or as an individual.
Presque Isle High School senior varsity player Russ Mortland is a seven-year veteran of the camp. “I wanted to get better at soccer, and I’d heard that it was a great camp,” explained Mortland about his decision to go to the DSA. “The coaches are from different countries and have played pro and semipro. That made it more attractive than other American camps.”
Mortland spent one of his weeks in the advanced soccer camp where the coaches talk about off-season training as well as tactics on the field. “They teach you how to train your body,” said Mortland. “They show you good workout routines for core conditioning.”
According to Mortland, because several members of the Wildcat squad come to the summer program, the team is more prepared for the high school season. “We work a lot better on the field because we know each other’s weaknesses and strengths.”
Caribou sophomore Nathan Rossignol is headed into his second year of varsity soccer for the 2008 season and has been a DSA camper since kindergarten. Rossignol sites the high level of competition and unique coaching with improvements in his game. “They teach us how to play more controlled soccer, and how to stay connected as a unit.”
Kayla Richards, another Presque Isle player entering her freshman year at the high school, agreed about the high quality of the coaching and the benefits. “They work you hard but not too hard,” said Richards. “We learn lots of different moves and positioning depending on where the ball is.”
Meagan Bossie, a four-year varsity player and senior at CHS, was among her Viking teammates at the camp. “We made a team decision to come, so that we could improve as a team,” explained Bossie. “Our coach is Marieke (van Tienhoven). She is really big on playing with your heart as well as the technical part, like dropping the ball to the goalie. You don’t see that a lot in high school games.”
The high-class teaching comes from a group of licensed coaches through institutions like the KNVB (Royal Dutch National Soccer Association), and many with professional or semi-professional ‘football’ experience.
Jeroen Haarsma, a first year coach at the camp, brought his professional experience at FC Volendam to the UMPI fields. “They do have the skills, the power and the motivation,” said Haarsma about his team. “We’re working on the technical part, like what to do with a winger. These are things we are famous for in Holland – the way we teach over there.”
Haarsma sees a competitive future for U.S. soccer as the sport gains popularity to rival other contests like basketball and baseball.
“A lot of kids play soccer, but when they’re done they put on their basketball jersey or their Red Sox shirt,” said Haarsma. But America’s drive for sports makes it a prime place for soccer to grow, and Haarsma has already seen the love of soccer take root in the DSA campers. “It’s the outstanding performance from Robby and Tammy (Krul) that has made the DSA so popular.”
For more information about the Dutch Soccer Academy, visit www.dutchsocceracademy.com.
