A worthy goal scored
One of our reporters found
leadership and satisfaction
helping at a soccer youth camp
By Brandon Drumheller
Knightly News Reporter
In July, I had the privilege of helping a professional indoor soccer team, the Harrisburg Heat, and its youth camp, held July 20 through 25.
I learned a lot about myself working with children.
The youth camp was held in Hagy Park, in Dauphin.
Thirty youth, ages 5 to 14, had a blast. Everyone improved their soccer skills, and knowing I that I contributed made it all that sweeter for me.
I ran drills for campers 8 years old and younger. The drills I focused on passing, control and teamwork.
But the thing is, I didn’t know anything about soccer. See, I love sports, and I am trying to get as much experience as I can to work for a professional sports team someday. So, this experience was new for me, as it was for many of the campers.
Luckily, I had some help from Thomas Hogue, a defender who had just played his first season with the team.
I asked Hogue what his favorite part about giving back to the community through youth camps was.
“I just love the feeling of inspiring, motivating them, and watching them enjoy being athletic,” he said,
Hogue gave me a lot of insight on how to influence the campers, which is something I would not have learned if I had not stepped out of my comfort zone.
After the camp, Hogue said that being a positive influential role model, a role the Heat also fulfills, is a very powerful tool kids can use to connect and to motivate themselves.
My favorite part was seeing all the kids grow through their experiences and what they learned during the camp. From the start, I could tell which campers would participate more and which of them brought more skills to the camp.
Throughout the camp, I encouraged teamwork and cheering on their teammates. Sure enough, when they were supporting one another, kids performed better and were more engaged.
And the players who wanted to sit out started having fun!
When I asked a parent how the Heat has played a role in her child’s development, she said “it has shaped him to be quicker and developed his communication skills on the field to become a better teammate.”
Not only was I being a leader and coaching these kids, but they were becoming leaders, too.
One moment I won’t forget was when a player hit a game-winning goal during the last scrimmage. The joy and excitement radiating from the players so intense that even the losing team celebrated.
That really helped me see the impact the Heat and I had on these kids.
However, not only were the kids benefitting from this. I developed a new interest in soccer.
With a new interest, unforgettable experiences and a bunch of laughs later, the Harrisburg Heat helped deliver an outstanding youth camp.
Drumheller is co-vice president of The Knightly News Club @ Central Penn College.
Edited by media-club co-adviser and Knightly News blog editor Professor Michael Lear-Olimpi.
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