Spain Park Youth Soccer Camp sees kids score core memories
Published 10:16 am Thursday, June 19, 2025
The Spain Park soccer program hosted the fifth annual Spain Park Youth Soccer Camp from June 10-12, allowing the young Jaguars to learn and improve on their skills while finding a new enjoyment for the game. (Reporter photos/Tyler Raley)
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By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer
HOOVER – In the heat of the summer with the sun shining over the pitch, the Spain Park soccer program took time out of its week to give back to the community and teach skills to the younger generation at the Spain Park Youth Soccer Camp.
The camp, which was held from June 10-12 at Spain Park High School, took on its fifth year of activities and saw the next generation of soccer players in the Spain Park area improve in their craft and have fun at the same time.
“We are definitely trying to make it fun for them,” said Robert Starr, head coach of Spain Park girls soccer. “Coach (Matt) Hall started it a few years back, and we’ve just tried to build it from there. Getting the kids out here during the summer, just playing soccer outside of their club seasons, it is a fun opportunity for us to see kind of our community, the Spain Park kids.”
The Jaguars’ staff saw 55 kids come out for the camp ranging from 5-12 years old, all getting to learn about the basics of passing, receiving and shooting, while also getting to tie it all together with competitive games and scrimmages at the end of each day.
For Starr, providing the campers a way to grow their passion for soccer has been something that has brought a smile to his face. It has become a goal of his each year, especially with soccer being a busy activity that can take up most of a year.
“(I love) trying to make it as fun as possible, making them enjoy the game,” Starr said. “I think they get enough pressure sometimes in club seasons whether it’s making sure that you win, or parents that are encouraging or too encouraging sometimes. Giving them a chance to just come out here and just enjoy it, have fun with it.”
The boys and girls program invited some of their players out to assist with the camp as well, helping to set an example for the kids that look up to them in a major way. The camp also served as a time for the players to see what coaching is really like, giving them a different view of the game.
“I think it gives them a different perspective,” Starr said. “I think it’s important for them to just kind of give back a little bit and send some time and appreciate the ones, especially as you see young kids that have Spain Park T-shirts on or our feeder schools and it’s just like, ‘Oh, you’re going to be at Spain Park in a couple years.’ They get a kick out of that.”
With the camp having been another big success this year, Starr hopes that with the arrival of some of the repeat campers next year comes more new faces that have heard about the camp.
However, no matter what, Starr wants to continue making soccer a fun sport for all who participate with Spain Park’s summer festivities.
“We love having the repeat campers,” Starr said. “There’s some of them that have been out here I would say probably all five years, so eventually they age out. We do want to grow it and hopefully if the ones that are here year in and year out each summer have fun, that they’re telling their friends and they make sure that they also get them out here too.”
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