Teaching kids soccer in Rockville Centre camp

Last week, 35 young soccer players from Rockville Centre gave back to the game they love by teaching the basics to the younger generation of soccer stars at a summer skills clinic run by the Rockville Centre Soccer Club.

The free program — Kids Teaching Kids — paired teenage and young adult athletes with 4- to 8-year-olds in a two-week soccer training camp hosted at the Sports Complex from July 18 to July 28.

The eight-day camp entails teaching the fundamentals of the game to aspiring young soccer players, from dribbling and passing, to trapping and juggling the ball. Many of the instructors either participated in the program as a child, or were village soccer club members. One-hundred-and-sixty-two kids signed up for this year’s camp, which has been running since 1983.

Michael Mara, 23, has been the director for the last three years, and was supported this year by his former teammates, Michael Tighe and CJ Cardo, who are both 23 as well. They signed on not only because they love soccer, but also like helping the up-and-coming generation of soccer players. “It’s a nice way to give back to the community,” Mara said. “It feels good to teach them the basics of the game.”

Both Mara and Tighe added that they stress one main objective to the kids and coaches: have fun. “That’s the most important thing,” they said. “We count smiles!”

Mayor Francis Murray attended one evening this year and joined in the fun.