The Santa Clara Boys Soccer Academy is a good place to learn from good coaches, but don’t go there if you don’t plan on being watched.

Santa Clara assistant coach Rusty Johnson explains that the three residential camps (9-13 year olds July 20-24, 9th and 10th graders July 27-31 and 11th and 12th graders Aug. 10-13) provide a good opportunity for both players and coaches.

“The NCAA says we can’t pick the kids who come to our camp so the only way we can constrain it is by age,” Johnson said. “Kids playing with kids close to their same age just makes sense. It makes for a pretty competitive camp, but it’s also something that we’re able to get something out of when we watch. This way they are not playing against someone three years younger or older than they are. The kids are very happy with that too and it’s more of a club atmosphere in the matches.”

The matches include a 6v6 tournament in the middle of the day and full-sided games in the evenings. Coaches are given an instructional topic each day for morning training which is then applied in match-play.

Camp staff includes the Santa Clara head coach Cameron Rast, assistants Eric Yamamoto, Jeff Baicher, Rusty Johnson and coaches from other programs including many in California.

“Cam and Eric use their connections with the national team to make sure they get coaches who know what they are talking about,” Johnson said, adding that Santa Clara players are also used as assistants at the camp.

Along with the heavy soccer emphasis, the older players are given access to SCU admissions personnel and taken through some conversations about things to be thinking about regarding academics and admissions procedures. At the end of the week, campers have been most complimentary about the age-specific sessions.

“Because it is a college ID camp, we know a lot of the players are interested in coming to school, either here or somewhere else,” Johnson said. “We want to give them some advice on the application process and what schools are looking for in essays, demographics and those kinds of things. For the younger players we focus on them putting a good foot forward academically and not getting into any kind of hole with their grade point average.”

Click here for more information on the Santa Clara Soccer Academy