Dixie State University’s women’s soccer summer camp will take on a different format this year but will still serve as an opportunity for students to sharpen their skills from June 25 to 28.
For individual participants there will be a $300 fee, and there will be varying bulk-rates for team participants.
Head Coach Gerry Lucey was named the new head coach in January, so the summer camp planning process is still in action and some information, including discount or scholarship information, is still unclear.
Lucey said participants should be prepared with basic soccer gear like water bottles, shin guards, a soccer ball, soccer cleats and proper attire.
Lucey’s vision is to have this year’s summer camp be an open camp rather than a camp aimed toward just high school players as it was in the past. Lucey said he’d like to have the camp be an identification camp, for those wishing to play for DSU women’s soccer, but also for other students simply wanting to learn more about being a college student athlete. Lucey said he also wants to incorporate more technical learning opportunities for the athletes than in past years.
“We want to help them in their recruiting or identification process and give them some guidelines,” Lucey said.
Lucey hopes to give campers a better idea of a college coach’s criteria and how they can fit in with DSU women’s soccer.
Player Kilee Lamb, a redshirt junior business administration major from Smithfield, said she enjoyed her summer camp experience when she participated with her high school team.
“It gives you an opportunity to get looked at by college coaches and meet different people as well,” Lamb said.
Player Kamie Hunter, a junior nursing major from Hooper, agreed summer camp is an enjoyable and beneficial experience.
“That’s how I got recruited,” Hunter said. “The coach watches most of the games, so it’s a really good chance for the coach to see you play.”
There is an all-star game to close out the summer camp week in which selected players are observed by all the coaches and other camp goers.
“Each coach gets to pick a few players to play the all-star game,” Lamb said. “So, if you perform really well throughout the whole week, then you can get selected for that one game.”
Hunter said there are about 20 players on the field during the all-star game, with no other games happening.
Lucey agreed the camp should be beneficial for all participants. He said his overall goal for the camp is to give each camper a memorable and educational experience.
“We want to make sure they learn something,” Lucey said. “They’re not coming here just to play. We want to teach them as well.”
Lucey emphasized the opportunity participants will have to interact with college athletes and coaches and learn the skills it takes, on and off the field, to be a successful student athlete.
“There’s definitely a benefit for those kids who are looking to play college athletics,” Lucey said. “We want to engage with them, answer questions and give them feedback as well.”
