Some parents without summer options for kids out of school are choosing to send them to soccer camp at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center this summer. With help from the Chicano Federation, San Diego Loyal Soccer Club and San Diego Super Soccer Stars, children are enjoying “Kickin’ it with The Loyal” summer camp, providing San Diego Unified School District youth to have fun while learning the fundamental skills of playing soccer.
Chicano Federation CEO Nancy Maldonado said they are in its third week out of eight one-week soccer camps for 100 children ages 5-12 years-old, each weekly camp from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. with everything included, and a little bit more.
“Transportation, snacks lunch, they get a soccer t-shirt, camp t-shirt, and they get a soccer ball,” she said. “They also get tickets to a San Diego Loyal soccer game. They get food vouchers so that they can grab some yummy food at the game, and lots of fun.”
Maldonado said this is the first time this type of event has happened, and that this summer project was made possible as part of the Level Up San Diego initiative through The San Diego Foundation and SDUSD.
“The idea behind it is that we know that there’s so many families who send their children to school all year long and then some are comes around and they do not have a lot of support, or a lot of options,” she said. “That is where the school district and The San Diego Foundation, stepped in to say, we have to offer something to families. We cannot just abandon them during the summer. So, they developed Level up San Diego, where there is a variety of different options of things that parents can sign their kids up to, so that they have places to send them to during the summer.”
San Diego Loyal Soccer Club Associate Head Coach Nate Miller said this partnership is a great match and that the players and he are having a blast offering free soccer camps to kids in South Bay.
“Some of our players have been coaching in the afternoons and just a time for the kids to enjoy the game during their summer break, without any expense,” he said. “It gives these kids an opportunity just to play, have fun, and be with some of our players. They enjoy it. Our players now realize how kids can make you so tired. At the end of the day, it is all about football. But with this. It is just having fun with the kids, seeing them smile being a role model, just playing with them. So, it is nothing too complicated. Just bringing enjoyment to kids. And we love the game.”
Maldonado said anyone who wants to still sign up can go to www.levelupsandiego.org and sign up for the remaining weeks of camp.
