Del Piero soccer camp doesn’t lack international feel

GLENDALE — About the only thing that peaked higher than the soaring heat at the Alessandro Del Piero Soccer Clinic was the piqued interest of 75 or so camp-goers who attended the five-day event.

Though Del Piero, arguably one of the greatest Italian soccer players of all-time, was not present, that did not take away from the international feel or quality of the instruction for the camp that was held at the Glendale Sports Complex from Monday to Friday.

“What we offer at the camp is a different experience than what you might get locally,” said Jeffrey Whalen, CEO of Edge Americas Inc., the group committed to organizing Del Piero’s camps across the country. “Here we have instructors from England, Brazil, France, Bulgaria, the U.S. and other places.

“They’re not just teaching different systems from those countries, but they’re also educating and sharing the South American style, the European style and the style and play from several places.”

The age group for campers was set between 6-16, with skill level ranging from those who had never touched a soccer ball to advanced players with hopes of improving their game and aspirations of going far. All players were dressed in light blue Del Piero No. 10 jerseys.

Though much of the camp focused on skill and technique, there were also plenty of amusement.

Aadya Abhyankar, an 11-year-old from Stevenson Ranch, said she most enjoyed playing a game called “Top Gun,” where the object was to score the most goals and remain as the last player standing.

“We have dribbling drills and shooting, but Top Gun is my favorite,” Abhyankar said. “Whenever we play, I want to win. I think the games are the most fun.”

Abhyankar’s coach, Brazilian Gabriel Bonetto, mostly worked with groups of children between the ages of 14 and 17, but has enjoyed his first action with a group comprised of kids either 11, 12 or 13.

“It’s been fun working with the kids, they’re great,” Bonetto said. “It’s hot outside, but we make sure the kids get water, they get breaks and they take it easy. The great thing is that they listen and we try to keep their attention not just with instruction, but also by having fun.”

Abhyankar is part of a contingent with ties to Warner Bros., which has its headquarters in Burbank.

Whalen said that a large portion of participants had parents who worked at Warner Bros. and Nestle USA (headquarters in Glendale) and said it was not uncommon for parents to come out during lunch or to take an extended break to play with their children.

“Some camps don’t want parent participation, but we embrace it and we ask the parents to help us and to be a part of the experience,” Whalen said. “We’ll have some who take a day off, play a little hooky or just show up for the afternoon.

“Sometimes parents will spend an hour or two with their kids and then take them home. We have no problem with that. It’s all about their experience.”

Some of the groups operated at a leisurely pace and others were very competitive.

French instructor Virgil Perez was in charge of a troop of eight older players, aged 14 and up. While each athlete was advanced in his soccer technique and ability, Perez wanted to work on another important aspect.

“Right now, the most important thing is soccer IQ,” Perez said. “These guys have been working on their technique, on their skills for years, but you have to also work on soccer IQ. The only way you’re going to get better is with drills. You have to keep learning and getting better.”

One of Perez’ pupils was 14-year-old Ramses Rodriguez of Redondo Beach.

“I think I’m best at dribbling and I’ve been working on that,” Rodriguez said. “What I really want to get better at is shooting with my left foot. I sucked at that, but I feel like I’ve learned enough here and I’ll get better.”

Besides skill and competition, camp technical directer Tony Stoyanov wanted participants to walk away with something else.

“If they get better, that’s great,” the Bulgarian said. “But what is best is that they have self-confidence. I want them to go back to their club team proud and confident.”

Stoyanov had one of the fledgling groups, which featured children as young as 6. The task of corralling and working with such a batch should have been daunting. Yet, Stoyanov wasn’t fazed.

“I know kids,” Stoyanov said. “If you try to talk to them for more than five minutes, they’re going to go off and pick flowers. So, it’s a little bit of teaching with a little bit of fun, a little bit of skills mixed with games.”

On top of instruction, each camper receives a certificate of completion, a jersey, shorts, pair of socks, a sling bag and a soccer ball.

Del Piero’s final camp is set for UCLA from Aug. 7-9 and costs $235, while the Italian star is scheduled to be in attendance. For more information or to register, visit https://www.adp10footballacademies.com/