The youth of Fayette County will have an opportunity to participate in a unique soccer clinic again this year sponsored by Grace Community Church.
GOAL 2015 will feature members from the Columbus Crew, a Major League Soccer (MLS) team, along with the coaching staff and soccer teams of Cedarville University. The clinic will be held on Aug. 16 on the church grounds located at 525 South Glenn Ave., as well as at the adjoining soccer fields of Washington High School, from 3 to 5 p.m. The rain date for GOAL 2015 is Aug. 23.
During the clinic portion of GOAL 2015, the event will offer specialized training in various soccer skills for players 5-years old through high school. Coaching for the clinic will be provided by Cedarville University’s men’s and women’s teams and their coaching staffs. Cedarville has the top rated NCAA Division II soccer program in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
Having conducted numerous clinics and camps, the Cedarville athletes know how to combine effective instruction in soccer skills with fun in a pressure-free environment ideal for younger players but still challenging for high school athletes.
Immediately after the clinic there will be a meal served to all campers with their families being invited to join them. One of the highlights of GOAL 2015 is the opportunity for campers to meet two members of the Columbus Crew and to hear an inspirational message from them.
The two Columbus Crew members that are scheduled to appear are Chad Barson and Will Trapp. The players were arranged to appear by Columbus Crew team chaplain Jim Schmidtke, who is also the staff chaplain for the Ohio State University Buckeye football team.
Finally, a special feature of GOAL 2015 is a coach’s clinic for parents and adults who want to learn the fundamentals of how to coach children. Campers in grades seven-12 can also participate in specialized training for goalies. All campers need to bring cleats, shin guards and a soccer ball to the clinic along with a medical release form, which is available at the online registration website.
The registration fee for GOAL 2015 is $10 and $5 for each additional camper from the same family. Along with the clinic, campers will receive a GOAL 2015 t-shirt, a water bottle, a soccer DVD, a cinch bag and dinner. Numerous prizes, such as soccer balls autographs and other soccer items, will be awarded after dinner, and family members are encouraged to join the campers for the session with the Crew players and the dinner. Meal tickets for non-campers can be purchased for $2 per person.
Due to space limitations, it is recommended that campers pre-register online at gracecommunity.net/GOAL. Information is also available by calling the church office at (740) 333-5433.
