Coaches, players gain knowledge at IU soccer camp

About 1,800 soccer players from across the nation and from as far away as Brazil, Japan and Luxembourg recently finished their IU soccer camp experience after completing their last of three summer sessions. \nThe IU camp, which has been around for more than 30 years, is one of the most prestigious of its kind. Former campers include DaMarcus Beasley and Steve Ralston, both U.S. international players. \n"I think it is a good thing for the University," said third-year coach Mike Freitag. "It exposes a lot of kids to the University, not just soccer wise, but what sort of campus we have and school." \nJunior Mitch Richardson attended the soccer camp the summer before his senior year in high school. Although Richardson stopped short of having a soccer career in college, he credits the camp with being an ideal first impression of the campus. \n"The soccer camp was an amazing experience," Richardson said. "It was probably the most important thing to happen to my game, not only in soccer but all competition." \nThe camp gives players a chance to learn from coaches from IU and other schools and clubs. About 50 coaches are staffed for each session. Reciprocally players get the chance to showcase skills to coaches, who are eager to recruit new talent. \nIUPUI Head Coach Steve Franklin is almost in his 25th year with the camp and regularly uses the camp to recruit.\n"We figured out that he has spent two years of his life in Briscoe dormitory," Freitag said of Franklin with a laugh. The dorm is used annually to house players for the summer. "I think 80 percent of his team is past campers." \nFreitag has seen it happen at IU too. A couple of years ago two thirds of the team were former campers he said. \nIncoming freshman Neil Wilmarth played for Franklin last summer. Wilmarth learned of the camp from a coach who was told the best way for Wilmarth to get some exposure would be for him to attend the camp. \nAlthough Wilmarth is a forward he played defense in the camp. Despite playing out of position and with a tweaked groin he managed to make a good impression on Freitag. Freitag encouraged Wilmarth to continue working on his game and about a month after the camp was over let him know he wanted him to play at IU. \n"Neil came to camp an unknown and we liked what he brought to the table," Freitag said. "After camp he proceeded to go on in his senior year and win a state championship and he was runner up player of the year in the state of Illinois." \nWilmarth said many Illinois schools were eager to sign him to a scholarship, including Division I Bradley University, which offered him an 85 percent paid ride, but he said the prospect of playing for IU fits into his goal to possibly play professionally. The chances of being seen by a professional club may be better at IU. The six graduating seniors from last year's team all went on to play professionally. \n"If the statistics are right," Wilmarth said, "I will be playing in a Final Four some time in my IU career." \nFreitag said that the camp offers an advantage to traditional scouting, which sometimes only lets him watch a player in one game or at best in a tournament. \n"A lot of times I'll go watch a player and you only get to see him for one high school game or one club game and he (could have) had an off game (or) he just broke up with his girlfriend or something," Freitag said. "Here (at camp) I get to see kids for several days. I get to know their personality and know what their makeup is, as a person and a player." \nA perfect example of this is the case of former player Pat Yates. Frietag said Yates exemplified a winning attitude and made a great addition to the team. \n"I had Pat on my team at camp and there was just something about the kid," Freitag said. "He had a winning attitude. I talked to people from his hometown in Fort Wayne and they said he was OK; he's nothing special. The kid scored a lot of big goals for us." \nIn 2003 Yates scored the winning goal in the semifinal against Santa Clara University in overtime. \nThe IU soccer team starts practice next Wednesday in preparation for the upcoming season, which begins in Fort Wayne when they will play the University of Illinois at Chicago in an exhibition game Aug. 15 and then they play reigning champs, the University of Maryland, Aug. 18.