In looking at the many accomplishments over the years of Indiana Men’s Soccer, head coach Todd Yeagley doesn’t hesitate to include the program’s excellent summer camp among them.

The soccer camp, running in two sessions, July 6-10 and July 13-17 (Wednesdays through Sundays), are for boys ages 10-19.

“We’ve had a successful camp for over 30 years, which we’re pretty proud of,” Yeagley said. “A lot of that is due to the staff we’ve been able to retain, which makes the players’ coaching experience very good. With that you also have to have great facilities and we’ve been fortunate with that as well. It can be a rewarding experience to attend camp here, and we definitely have a lot of fun.”
Yeagley explained that camp players are divided into four age groups (10-11, 12-13, 14-15 and high school), noting that the priority is on putting kids in a group where they will be challenged soccer-size, so some players are moved up an age group on the opening day.

Coaches include DI, II and III coaches from around the Midwest, along with the IU coaching staff and current and past players from the Indiana program.

“The prospect age component of the camp is very much like a college prep camp and the kids who come know that,” Yeagley said. “We want the coaches to put the kids through something very much like our own college sessions. It’s a good tool to be evaluated with by coaches from around the Midwest.

Younger age groups we’ll work under the tutelage of some top youth and high school coaches along with additional IU players.

Campers arrive on Wednesday and will be out on the field that very first day. Full-day sessions go on Thurdsday, Friday and Saturday, with camp closing Sunday and players on their way home by around noon.

“We want to push them so they get the most out of the camp. Some camps have dropped a day, but we are still going with that additional day,” Yeagley said. “We feel that is just right, and by the time we break camp they are ready for a break.”

The camp curriculum includes small group technical work in the morning, 7v7 sessions in the afternoon and then full games in the evening, including the always enjoyable staff vs. player matches where camp attendees have the chance to see how they stack up against top college and sometimes professional players in a competitive but friendly environment.

Off the field, players stay in the same dorms IU freshmen live in as new players in the program. Other benefits of the IU experience are available as well.

“We integrate our strength and conditioning coach into the program with the prospect age kids,” Yeagley explained. “It gives them a chance to work out in our facilities. We touch on nutrition.

We have a pool available for recovery work with the older players and during some down time for younger kids. We have a college discussion with the prospect age players, in a Q&A format that gives them a lot of information to take home.”

If this sounds like something you are interested in, registration details are available here.