Justin SerponeSoccer Academy improves recruiting
June 16, 2011
When the Peak Performance Soccer Academy first launched in 2007 it had one concept in mind.
“The idea is to bring together the best coaches in the country in one spot and provide an innovative camp for kids to be seen and improve their skills,” said Justin Serpone, the men’s head soccer coach at Amherst College. “When a kid on a camp team is a great kid and does well over four days, you have a better handle on them as a person and as a player. That’s why kids come. I think it’s becoming increasingly popular within that sort of population to get seen this way."
Co-founded by Serpone and Dennis Bohn, the camp takes place over the course of four summer days. According to Serpone, the camp makes it easier for college coaches to evaluate the student-athletes in one location instead of only catching portions of club matches when they are out recruiting.
Justin Serpone“I think these camps provide the opportunity for student-athletes to work with college coaches and get to know them in their recruiting process,” Serpone said.
With its success, Serpone and Bohn decided to expand the camp this year to three other locations: California, Florida and Texas. According to Serpone, they are looking to expand again next summer, bringing their concept to other parts of the country.
On average, the program has seen between 100-300 student-athletes participating from high schools all across the United States and throughout the world, including in South Korea, Japan and Brazil. While the majority of the soccer players reside in the U.S., the international involvement has been between five and six percent, Serpone said.
The coaching staffs are comprised of schools from various conferences that work first-hand with the student-athletes.
“If you’re a college coach and you work with these student-athletes, you’re putting them through training sessions and they’re playing for your camp team in games, so you get to know their personality - which is the most important part,” Serpone said.
The program is set up to allow the individual coaches to use their own training methods to run their teams, a reason why Serpone believes they continue to return during the summer.
“We’re bringing in a staff of college coaches who have all been very successful at their own schools and in their own right,” he said.
The camp’s cost is $650 and includes housing and meals. After the opening ceremonies and first dinner, it is time for the matches to get underway. Each of the first three nights consist of matches as well as all-star games. Championship matches take place on the final day before the checkout.
Gaining popularity and success, the Peak Performance Soccer Academy has made strides that bode well for the future of soccer recruiting.
“The idea is to bring together the best coaches in the country in one spot and provide an innovative camp for kids to be seen and improve their skills,” said Justin Serpone, the men’s head soccer coach at Amherst College. “When a kid on a camp team is a great kid and does well over four days, you have a better handle on them as a person and as a player. That’s why kids come. I think it’s becoming increasingly popular within that sort of population to get seen this way."
Co-founded by Serpone and Dennis Bohn, the camp takes place over the course of four summer days. According to Serpone, the camp makes it easier for college coaches to evaluate the student-athletes in one location instead of only catching portions of club matches when they are out recruiting.
Justin SerponeWith its success, Serpone and Bohn decided to expand the camp this year to three other locations: California, Florida and Texas. According to Serpone, they are looking to expand again next summer, bringing their concept to other parts of the country.
On average, the program has seen between 100-300 student-athletes participating from high schools all across the United States and throughout the world, including in South Korea, Japan and Brazil. While the majority of the soccer players reside in the U.S., the international involvement has been between five and six percent, Serpone said.
The coaching staffs are comprised of schools from various conferences that work first-hand with the student-athletes.
“If you’re a college coach and you work with these student-athletes, you’re putting them through training sessions and they’re playing for your camp team in games, so you get to know their personality - which is the most important part,” Serpone said.
The program is set up to allow the individual coaches to use their own training methods to run their teams, a reason why Serpone believes they continue to return during the summer.
“We’re bringing in a staff of college coaches who have all been very successful at their own schools and in their own right,” he said.
The camp’s cost is $650 and includes housing and meals. After the opening ceremonies and first dinner, it is time for the matches to get underway. Each of the first three nights consist of matches as well as all-star games. Championship matches take place on the final day before the checkout.
Gaining popularity and success, the Peak Performance Soccer Academy has made strides that bode well for the future of soccer recruiting.
