Randy Waldrum has found success in South Bend, Ind. since first stepping foot on the campus in 1999.

His team — the Notre Dame women’s soccer team— captured last season’s National Championship, his second title with the program. In 12 seasons with the Fighting Irish, he has amassed a phenomenal record of 253-36-11.

One of the premiere programs in the country, talent flocks to the Notre Dame campus. And in the Notre Dame girls soccer camp, the Fighting Irish has a pipeline to its success.
How significant have the camps been to the program?

Waldrum said that in his first eight years, 21 players who came through the camp program made it onto the roster.

“These are 21 players that we would not have known about or would not have seen had they not come to camp,” said Waldrum. “These were some kids that came from areas where they didn’t play on top club teams, yet they were great players and good enough to come in and play.”

This summer, Notre Dame hosted three successful five-day sessions. These collegiate training camps are full day events much like a college preseason.

Each day is divided into three parts: the morning sessions are geared toward small group tactics and individual technique workouts; in the afternoon, the kids are divided into their teams for field sessions before playing their games at night.

Waldrum said the camp keeps standings of each game and awards playoff spots to qualifying teams at the end of the week.

Participants are evaluated on the first day by the top high school and college coaches from around the country, and put into “teaching groups” for the rest of the session. The groups are based on their level of talent.

In between the workouts and field sessions, the campers are presented lectures which range from attacking, to defending to nutritional strength and conditioning. Topics are covered that will help future student athletes succeed at the next level.  

The camp is open to girls from ages 10-18 and includes all meals, lodging and insurance. Every camper receives three t-shirts and two shorts.

The Notre Dame camp provides players with various levels of talent and experience an opportunity to show the top coaches across the country what they have.

"All of these kids went on and played big roles for us in winning national championships and contributing to the program," said Waldrum, of the campers that have gone on to play for Notre Dame. "It’s huge. A lot of our big-name players have come through our camp program."