Soccer summer camps come in all shapes and sizes. And while playing scrimmages in the summer heat may sound like ideal fun, the Notre Dame girls’ soccer camp goes above and beyond your typical out-of-school gathering. 

Led by a talented staff of college coaches, the camp offers a serious teaching aspect on and off the field. The training program begins on the first day of each camp when the players partake in several small-sided games to evaluate their talent and divide them into the training groups that will be best suited to their particular skill set.  

The mornings of camp are then focused around a player’s training group. Each group is assigned a different coach every morning and learns a particular skill. And with major coaches present at the camp, players will have the opportunity to learn from the top minds in the nation. 

The training also includes several soccer lectures. With attendees from ages 10 to 18, a variety of topics are covered, including: strength and conditioning (with demonstrated exercises), nutrition, and college recruiting. 

Notre Dame uses these gatherings as an effective way of recruiting. During the first seven years of the camp’s existence, Notre Dame discovered 21 women’s players that joined the program. One such camper turned NCAA student athlete was Molly Campbell. 

“For me, coming to camp was the most important thing I did as a youth player wanting to play college soccer,” Campbell said. “There are hundreds of great players around the country, and I never would have been on Notre Dame’s radar had I not had the chance to play in front of the coaches for several days during the summer. I never would have dreamed that coming to camp would lead to me playing at Notre Dame and winning a national championship.” 

Campbell’s story is one of many with the Fighting Irish, and could be your own! Click here for more information about the camp or to register.