Variety main theme at St. Francis Soccer Camp
LA CAÑADA — Emily Battaglia will do anything to keep active. Especially if it’s related to sports.
Battaglia, 12, and her younger brothers, Jim, 10, Andrew, 9, and Matthew, 7, compete in many sports. The Battaglias, who hail from San Marino, searched for a new activity and found the 28th annual St. Francis Soccer Camp.
“We’re always trying to keep busy and we love playing soccer,” said Emily Battaglia, a middle school student at Flintridge Prep. “My mom found out about the camp and she thought it would be perfect thing for us to attend. There’s so much to learn, but it’s a great way to become more educated about soccer.
“There are a lot of drills to go over and it’s great for me. I’m trying to work some more on my footwork to help me with dribbling when you are one on one. I’m also trying to work on my endurance so I don’t get so tired.”
Led by St. Francis coach Glen Appels, the camp began Monday and will end Friday. The event, which also includes game participation and breaking down video of professional matches, featured about 45 participants ages 6-18 who live locally and in neighboring towns. A few of Appels’ assistants and former players helped him run the event.
“We always try to do a few things differently each year,” said Appels, a former All-Area Boys’ Soccer Coach of the Year who has led the Golden Knights to three CIF titles and one Southern California Regional championship. “We have a skills test and they still get to play games on the last day.
“It’s pretty much an evaluation process and they get feedback from us after they’ve gone through each drill. They get to go through passing, shooting, dribbling and heading drills. We do a shooting drill where we have different targets in the goal. So, they get a certain amount of points if they can shoot the ball through a hula hoop in the upper corners of the net or if they knock down a target on the ground with a shot. It’s got to do with shooting for accuracy.”
When the campers aren’t on the field, they can be found in a classroom next to the field. Appels will show video of recent national or international matches, having the participants focus on tactical situations.
“It’s a fun thing for them to learn,” said Appels, an English teacher at St. Francis. “They get an appreciation for the history of soccer, but they also get to find out more about things ranging from the placement of shots to how to fake out a goalkeeper when shooting. It’s just another tool that we have available.”
The camp wasn’t reserved just for beginners.
There were several current St. Francis players on hand looking to polish their skills, including senior goalkeeper Michael Bazarevitsch.
Bazarevitsch, who recorded nine shutouts last season en route to receiving All-Area recognition, attended the event for the fourth straight year.
“It’s a great experience to be able to come out here and find more ways to improve,” Bazarevitsch said. “I try to work more on footwork, finding ways to be aggressive at cutting down angles a shooter has and communication.
“Also, it’s a chance to provide leadership for the younger people here. You try to encourage them to continue playing a great sport.”
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
