PUHI — Having the World Cup on television was helpful in getting the day campers at the Team Soccer Direct soccer camp motivated about the game.
Hannah Whelan, a student in the goalkeeping section, wanted a photo after learning new techniques during the opening day of the four-day camp, Monday.
She got help from former collegiate goalkeeping standout Jeff Nelson who worked with the students as Nelson set Whelan up for a collapsing save and iced the setup with a foot coming in close to the downed goalkeeper’s chest.
“That’s from the World Cup when a goalkeeper had to have a shot after taking cleats in the chest on a fight for the ball,” said George Kuntz, the coach who developed the Team Soccer Direct curriculum. “We’re lucky to have Jeff helping us, since he now lives on Kaua‘i.”
Shane Nishioka-Healy, the Kapa‘a High School goalkeeper who was upgraded from the Junior Varsity ranks during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation season and went on to become a state Division II All-Tournament team member, said he learned about the diamond during the wrap-up with Nelson.
“It was always the ‘W,’ but I think I was leaning toward the diamond,” Nishioka-Healy said, prompting a discussion on the saving techniques.
Christine “Tina” Mau of Maui, 10, has been flying over to take part in the camp for the past seven years. This year, she had a brace to support an injured wrist, but she said the wrist doesn’t affect her at camp.
“Skye Shimabukuro started when she was about your age,” Kuntz told Mau. “When I started seeing the online registrations and saw her name, I couldn’t help but smile. One day, she’s going to be like Skye.”
Shimabukuro, a graduate of Kaua‘i High School where she starred in soccer, was one of the University of Hawai‘i soccer team who were on hand to help Kuntz work the field of about a hundred players at the Island School soccer complex.
“There are other college players (from Kaua‘i) who wanted to come and help, but their schedules have them out of town,” Kuntz said.
Kuntz said the motivation behind the camp is to let the young soccer players know they can play soccer and get a higher education at the same time, pointing out how several students in Kona were good players, but because they did not have paperwork on time, or were not visible to scouts, did not have an opportunity for scholarships.
Kuntz, the UC Irvine D-1 Men’s Head Coach and AV AYSO 889 Parent Coach, said he saw those boys and brought it to the attention of other colleges where they had an opportunity to be recruited.
During the camp, players are taught the techniques and individual tactics of soccer, team play, positional play, sportsmanship and team spirit.
“But before they can play, they have to remember, they’re here to have fun,” Kuntz said.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
