This Soccer Camp has one of the highest return rates of any camp in the nation...around 90%!
The Az Soccer Camp is one of the longest continually run soccer camps in the state of Arizona.
Scott Segerson founded this camp in 1981 and he has directed the camp the entire time.
All of the camp's staff once attended this Soccer Camp as a camper themselves.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What Will We Experience There?
Where Can I Send Mail To My Child?
What's The Daily Schedule Like?
What Is The Breakdown Between Boys And Girls?
How Are The Housing Assignments Created?
What Is The Temperature Like...The Weather?
How Is Soccer Instruction Presented?
What Do The Kids Do When They Are Not Playing Soccer?
I Own A Cabin In The Area. Can I Drop By And Watch My Kid?
My Child Is On Medication. Is That OK?
My Child Has Never Been Away From Home?
My Child Is Staying For Two Weeks. What Will They Do During The Transition Time?
Can My Child Call Home? Can I Call Him Or Her? What About Cell Phones?
Can I Travel While My Child Is At Camp?
Will This Camp Improve My Skills?
We will have online registration on this website (to be announced). Back To FAQ This exciting, action packed camp, located in the cool pines of Pinetop-Lakeside, Az, offers the best of two worlds: all the fun of a summer camp combined with the skill development of a soccer camp. Soccer campers will be instructed in various skill development and ball control fundamentals. Campers will learn positioning strategies, various systems of play, as well as sportsmanship and sports conduct. Coaching will be conducted according to skill levels. Character development will also be implemented into the total camp experience: Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility. There are three soccer sessions per day - morning, late afternoon and evening. Also included are exciting team building games in the forest, swimming in the pond, nature lore, hiking, and character building campfire experiences each evening. Back To FAQ
Where can I Register?
What Will We Experience There?
What Should I Bring?
- A soccer ball
- Shin guards
- Soccer Shoes (cleats)
- 6 sport or T-shirts
- 1 warm jacket or sweater
- 8 pairs of socks
- 1 long sleeve shirt
- 2 pairs of jeans
- 6 pairs of shorts
- Tennis shoes
- Swim suit
- 7 pairs of underwear
- GK gloves if you are a GK
- Flashlight
- Addressed/stamped post cards
- Medications
- A cheap poncho
- A bag for soiled clothing
- 1 sleeping bag
- 2 towels
- Chapstick
- Sunscreen
- Soap in a container
- Toothbrush and paste
- Comb/brush
- Shampoo
- Deodorant
- Mosquito repellent
- Water bottle (w/name)
- Shoes that can get wet
Extremely useful but not required:- A camouflaged T-shirt
- A black T-shirt
- A camera and film
- Quiet games
- A good book for quiet times
- Sandals
Please leave at home:
- I-pods, radios, cd players
- Kindles, laptops
- Cell phones, Zipits, Fuseboxes
- Slingshots, pocket knives
- Bad Attitudes
Please Use Duffelbags or suitcases, not trunks.
Write your name on everything - even your shoes and ball!
All campers clothing should be clearly marked with your camper's full name. Each camper should bring enough clothing for the duration of their stay. If your camper is staying for multiple weeks, we will launder their clothing for them. Back To FAQ
Where can I Send Mail to my child?
Camp Grace/ Az Soccer Camp
C/O "Joe Camper"
6385 West White Mountain Blvd
Lakeside, Arizona 85929 Back To FAQ
What's the daily schedule like? Who is the Camp Leadership? Another way to think of a C.I.T. is a camper in transition. They are in transition from being campers to becoming camp leaders. As they move through this transition process, they receive coaching from adult camp leaders who support their growth and development. Back To FAQ Snacks are available at the camp store. We ask that campers keep no cash on hand for security reasons. Parents may deposit money into the camp store during check-in and campers may draw upon this credited amount. Any money that is not spent at the end of camp will be returned in cash. Most campers deposit $15-20. Please no more than that. Campers can also purchase extra shoe laces, shampoo, etc if needed. Back To FAQ Parents and family members are asked to depart camp by 2:00 PM in order that camp may begin.Please make certain your child has eaten lunch prior to dropping them off at camp.Their first camp meal will be dinner on Sunday evening. If you are car pooling, please make certain you have any medications needed for the children you are dropping off. Back To FAQ Check-out time for campers will be 11:00 AM on the Saturday they are leaving.We will have a short soccer scrimmage/exhibition at 11:00 for the parents. We will also be showing a Multi-Media presentation of the week’s activities in the Mess Hall prior to the exhibition.This presentation will be available on DVD. Parents are welcome to bring a picnic lunch for their family to enjoy at camp, or you may take your camper out for lunch before the pleasant drive home. Car pooling is fine, but please inform the Camp Director if you plan on picking up children who are not your own. Back To FAQ We also swim and play water polo in a swimming pond. In the evenings we have campfire entertainment with songs, skits etc. Back To FAQ In the 25+ years of running this camp, Scott, the Camp Director, has had to send only one child home for being homesick and that child had had a recent death in the family. The staff is very nurturing and the kids are kept very busy... having so much fun, the vast majority of campers beg to stay longer. Back To FAQ
What Are The Facilities Like?
Facilities include bunkhouses, dining hall, sport and play areas, and unspoiled nature trails. Each cabin will have a trained soccer coach/counselor. Parents are welcome to tour the facility and meet the camp as they drop off their child for camp. Back To FAQ
Soccer Camp leadership is provided by Scott Segerson, a former player who has coached in the collegian and high school ranks as well as in many youth leagues. Scott is currently an educator in the Kyrene School District. Since 1981, he has directed the Az Soccer Camp. He brings a strong commitment to small player/ coach ratios. Back To FAQ
What is a C.I.T.?
A C.I.T. is a counselor or coach in training. They are usually 16-17 years of age.
What is the Breakdown between Boys and Girls?
It generally runs about 50/50.
Where do they sleep?
In cabins with a counselor/coach. Back To FAQ
How are Housing Assignments Created?
Kids are housed first by gender then by age brackets. We try not to put, for example, an 8 year old girl with a 14 year old girl. A camper may ask for specific bunk mates and we will do our best to accommodate their requests as long as they are the same gender and approximate age. Back To FAQ
What about Food?
All meals are provided for the Campers/Players. Back To FAQ
What is the Temperature like ... the Weather?
It is normally about 20-25 degrees cooler than Phoenix. Most days are in the high 80's and the nights drop to the low to mid 50's. It seldom rains and if it does rain, it is generally only for 15-20 minutes. Of course, we don't try to predict the weather. Back To FAQ
What about Spending Money?
When do we Arrive?
The check-in time for campers will be 12:00 noon to 1:45 PM on Sunday.At check-in, parents will have the opportunity to meet the Camp Director, camp counselors/coaches, and fellow campers.You will, at this time, drop off any medication and spending money that your child may have for the camp store…Normally not more than $20 per week.
Parents will also have an opportunity to look around the camp. You can take a short hike to the beautiful Mogollon Rim, and see the facilities.
When Do We Leave?
How is Soccer Instruction Presented?
We have three sessions per day. Session one is by skill groups... depending on players ability and experience. Session two is by positions. Session three is all combined and reserved for only actual soccer games.
What do the kids do when they are Not Playing Soccer?
The camp is broken down into teams for soccer but also for other activities as well. The kids will participate in team building games and simulations in the forest. These are team competitions that demand strategy, planning and cohesiveness amongst individual team members in order to be competitive.
I own a cabin in the area... Can I Drop By and Watch My Kid?
Certainly! It is up to you and your child. Caution needs to be taken, however, if your child is very young, seeing you come and go often may make the stay more difficult. If your child is older they may be "embarrassed" having "mom and dad checking up on them." These are issues that only you as a parent can determine. If you do want to stop by, please check-in with the camp director to identify yourself as we don't allow "strangers" to just hang around the camp grounds. He will also be able to provide you with a schedule of activities so you can specifically choose an activity you are interested in. Back To FAQ
My Child is on Medication is that OK?
Certainly! Many campers have various medications for various reasons. Unless directed otherwise by parent/guardians, all prescription medication - with the exception of inhalers - will be administered by the staff according to the directions provided on the original container. This way, we can be certain that your child is taking their medications and we don't have prescription medications floating around the camp. We can keep inhalers as well, but most parents prefer to allow their child to keep their inhaler on their person. Breathing machines will be kept in the staff/first aid quarters and administered as directed by parents.
My child Has Never Been Away From Home? Back To FAQ
This is the case for many of our campers. They all begin sometime.
What about First Aid?
Fist aid is provided by certified staff. Most includes bumps, scratches, splinters and the like. Ankle and knee wraps are provided if needed as well. For serious injuries, there is a hospital less than 2 miles from camp.
My child wets the bed?
Bed wetting is certainly a traumatic issue for many young people. We have had a number of children who experience this unfortunate condition and have come through the camp yearning only to stay longer. Talk to the Camp Director, Scott, personally, and he will fill you in on his very effective strategies that will keep your child sanitary and the condition confidential. Back To FAQ
My child is staying for 2 weeks. What will they do during the Transition Time?
Scott and his staff have additional activities planned for these fortunate campers. Some parents elect to come visit their child between their weeks at camp... take them out to lunch, etc. This is fine as well. Some even take their kids for the evening and bring them back the next day. This is not a problem either. Your child's laundry will be done for them. Back To FAQ
Can my child call home? Can I call him or her? What about cell phones?
Part of the concept of going away is the going away part. We ask that campers do not bring cell phones. Messages can be left at the camp. Calling to speak to your child to ask if they are homesick only increases the chance that they will become homesick. No news is good news. Let's let the kids have their solitude and you can enjoy yours as well. Phone calls home are reserved for emergencies only. Back To FAQ
Can I Travel while my child is at camp?
Absolutely! Enjoy yourself! Your child is certainly enjoying him/herself. Just make certain all phone numbers and emergency contact people are clearly communicated to your camp staff before you leave. Back To FAQ
From our Camp Director, Scott Segerson
Thanks for your interest in camp!
We are one of the longest continually run soccer camps in Arizona and have one of the highest return rates in the nation - over 90%. I founded the camp back in 1981. Every year it seems to be more fun and get better. If would want a camp where kids will be able to learn and improve their skills, play soccer for the pure joy of the sport, meet new kids, and have a ton of fun, this is the camp for your child. There is a reason why we have such a high return rate - Many of our kids have been coming for five years or more!
We have players ranging from beginners to ODP players (Olympic Development Players )...we have both boys and girls.. Some play on their Varsity soccer teams in high school. We also have eight year olds just beginning! We service all!
All my staff are fingerprinted and have had background checks. Each of the staff memers were once campers themselves at this camp. They take great pride in the camp and know how campers what it is like to be a camper at Az Soccer Camp. Most have college, and/or club coaching experience and/or post college experience. The opportunities for every camper to be challenged is certainly available.
We intertwine teambuilding activities that are fun and require the players to work as a cohesive unit. Some of the kids call these activities "war games" because they are often competing against each other in the forest to accomplish various tasks.
Each camper is a member of three different groups.
1) Their cabin groups which are gender specific and fairly age
specific - with a year or two.
2) Their skill group for soccer - this can be gender or age
specific, but it is also based on their level of skill and ability on
the soccer field.
3) The third group is their "team" - These teams are heterogeneous - combining ages, skills, and gender.
All competitions away from the soccer field are by teams and we have a soccer "tournament" each evening by teams. The soccer instruction is delivered by skill and ability groups.
Although we have numerous club players - about 80% of our kids on any given week are club players, we aim to improve soccer skills, teach kids to work together with others, and have a blast doing it.
We have campfires at night where with live entertainment. We do some fun activities where each team gets a video camera and they make a movie which is shown that evening. This "movie night" is always a highlight!
We offer a CIT program - Coach In Training/Counselor In Training programs for kids once they turn 16 years old-they are now old to attend Az Soccer Camp. We have had over 50 applicants in one summer! - These are ex-campers who apply for this unique and special opportunity to learn, practice, and polish their interpersonal and leadership and coaching skills. They must spend at least two years as CIT they before they can apply to be a paid counselor/coach. We have staff members who have been coming to camp for almost two decades years!
Check out the testimonials on this website. They are from both kids and parents as well! If you would like to contact me, click on the "Contact Us" tab and I will personally give you a call or E-Mail you back as soon as possible.
Thanks!
Scott Segerson,
Az Soccer Camp, Founder/Director
