Coaches From The U.K. Spend Time Coaching Socorro Players

By Polo C’ de Baca
For the Mountain Mail

SOCORRO – Last week, 57 soccer hopefuls from the Socorro area had the unique opportunity to attend a camp sponsored by American Youth Soccer Organization and be coached by members of AYSO International from Scotland and England. The camp also was sponsored by Mayor Dr. Ravi Bhasker and the city of Socorro.
The international group of coaches, mostly British, are involved with 600,000 kids from all over the United States.
David White of Glasgow, Scotland, was one of three coaches working with Socorro boys and girls in groups that spanned the ages of 4 to 16. White said the coaches with whom he works had been in the U.S. since the beginning of July and had held summer soccer camps in California, Arizona and Los Alamos.
White said he has been coaching here for seven years and has been all over the U.S. He is now able to visit with friends made on previous trips. He has coached for a total of 20 years.
“Soccer is the biggest participation sport in America amongst children,” White said.
“Although your place (the U.S.) is rather biased toward football, baseball and basketball.
When I was growing up, you’d take your shirts off and they would be the goal posts and the markers, and then all we needed was a ball. We played in the streets.”
The youngest boys and girls that participate in the camps are 4 to 6-year-olds. Their program is called Fun in the Sun. The program for 7 to 10-year-olds is called Thrills and Skills. The oldest group includes ages 11 to 16.
White said he was pleased that the number girls participating in soccer in the United States is about equal to that of the boys.
“In America, girl participation is huge,” White said. “If you get a camp back home, the ratio of boys to girls is more like seven to one. In every camp we’ve held in the U.S., there is almost a 50/50 ratio of boys and girls playing soccer.”
White said the reason girls’ soccer is lagging in Europe is because of male chauvinism.
White said he already carries that message back home with him and brags on the United States. Toby Palm, who was coaching the obviously enthusiastic 4 to 6-year-olds, is from London. The other coach working with the Socorro children was Fritz Patel, from Worchester, England. All three are all members of the UK International Soccer Camp.

Photo caption: Coach Toby Palm of Worchester, England, representing AYSO International from the United Kingdom, poses with his exhilarated “charges” after a Saturday morning workout at Sedillo Park in Socorro on Saturday morning. Photo by Polo C’ de Baca

Coaches From The U.K. Spend Time Coaching Socorro Players