Youth Soccer Summer Programs and Camps Series: LI Rough Riders

“summer summer summertime

time to sit back and unwind”

                   Unless, of course, you are a mom and DEFINITELY not if you are a mom to a soccer player.  Summer time is a GREAT time to get some extra work on skill and prepare for the fall season, and for our older kids- many will prepare for School Tryouts.  If you haven’t noticed already, you will learn in time that I am a STRONG believer and advocate for team and coach/trainer loyalty.  That is exactly why the summer is such an exciting time for soccer kids.  There are SO many opportunities and options in different summer programs and types of training that the kids can take part in while still remaining loyal to their team and coach. To me, summer is the smorgasbord season for soccer players.  Because, as much as I preach loyalty, I ALSO believe that young players should get some variety in the types of training they receive.  The other day, I gave you some information on just a FEW of the many local area Youth Soccer training programs and camps on Long Island.  Today, I am going to take a more detailed look at the Youth Soccer Summer Camps offered by the L.I. Rough Riders AND I have a 20% OFF Camp Cost Discount for you at the end…(YAY!)

 

                The L.I. Rough Riders are the ONLY Soccer franchise on Long Island.  Created 19-years-ago, “currently, the Rough Riders Men’s Team plays in the Premier Development League (PDL) of the United Soccer Leagues (USL), designed to showcase the top collegiate and professional players in the nation. The PDL is the largest professional / amateur league in the United States, with teams competing for a National Championship each season.”  The Rough Riders also have a Woman’s Team and a Youth program that has different training and team opportunities for youth to take part in Tournaments and the Super-Y (Youth version) of the PDL.  The great part of the Rough Riders program is that the Youth teams are made to compliment and support each player’s home club/team and not take the young player away from the coaches and teammates that helped them become the players they are today.  In addition to the Youth teams, the Rough Riders have a variety of camps and training year round, including their Summer Camp series that starts in the next week.

               

Not only have the Rough Riders been kind enough to contribute to this post, but I have worked with this organization as a Coach and parent for many years.  As a Coach, their tournaments are some of my favorite to take my team to, and I also have recommended their camps to many of my players.  This is because as a mom, I sent my oldest to their camps for 3 summers.  I find their staff knowledgeable about soccer, forthcoming with information; and most importantly, my son not only learned about soccer at their camps, but he enjoyed them and you could tell that the trainers put the kid’s interests first in all of the trainings. The above is a mom’s testimonial, and while it may sound biased for a blog- that is the point of CoachMommyLI.   I am fair, but when I have an experience to share,  I will.  It is understood that each parent and coach will look for different things in their trainers and programs, and we all have different levels of tolerance for certain things.  For me, the Rough Riders were exactly what my son needed when he attended the camps.

                Ah yes….I DID promise you actual information about the camps.  I step away from the love fest and return our focus to the LI Rough Riders Summer Camps.  They have many different types of camps and the camps will meet the needs of different levels of payers from recreational or beginner to a higher level of soccer skilled player.  For the majority of campers, any of their Indoor Soccer Academy, Futsal Academy, Soccer Academy, Ball Mastery, and Striker/GK will be appropriate. For the more skilled and serious player, LI Rough Riders Summer Youth Camps offers Elite camp versions of all of the camps named above.  All of the camps will focus on ball skill, knowledge of the game, and shooting, while some will focus more on certain skills.  Each camper will receive a FREE Adidas T-shirt and all Full Day Campers receive a FREE Soccer Ball.

 

                     There are 38 camps offered during different weeks of the summer at 10 different locations in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.   Locations include the Soccer Park in Plainview, Mitchel Athletic Complex (Museum Row- Nassau; Indoor Fields), Eisenhower Park, and Cantiague Park (swimming may be available at this site).  There are other locations and the schedules are too much to list here, but a full list and camp description can be found at www.liroughriders.com/camps.  Each camp is a week-long and some are during the day, while some are  Part-time camp held in the evening hours.  According to Daan Oomen, the Camp Director, the average age of campers is 5-12 and 8-15.  A few camps have sold out, but they have added some indoor day camps.   The cost runs from $375-$150, but there are sibling discounts and also the 20% Discount available to any of my readers who may choose to register online for a camp.  (CODE RRGAME20 AT END OF BLOG)

                This summer, the Rough Riders are very excited that they have 3 NEW Camps they are offering which are unique, and they sound fun and interesting.  They are welcoming 4 coaches from Germany to help with the new camps.  The first camp is the “Moves & Skills” and utilizes the philosophy of the Dutch and the Coerver Technique and focuses on helping the players learn and master basic skills of soccer as a way to develop the advanced soccer moves.  Another new camp will bring the German training methods in the (appropriately named) “German Soccer Camp”.  (Hey- it worked for the Champions League Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund as they invaded Wimbledon this year).    This camp will utilize the German Coaches knowledge and focus on “proper technical execution, smart defensive composure, and quick transition”.  The last of the NEW camps for Summer 2013 is “Soccer School” (personally I am trying to figure out how to sneak into this camp because it sounds like a lot of fun and interesting stuff.)  “Soccer School” focuses on Theory and Practice and learning as much as there is to learn about soccer culture, history, and skills from around the world.  This camp uses not just field exercises and trainings, but games, videos, and even has a TEST!  You really can’t call yourself a soccer player or fan if you don’t know anything about your sport!

                As always, soccer clubs, teams, and most organizations can contact the Rough Riders directly about hosting a Rough Rider Community Camp.  To get more detailed information about the camps, including costs and times/dates/locations, check out www.liroughriders.com/camps. If you have questions, feel free to bother…I mean call… my buddy Daan Oomen at 516-622-3900 ext. 1003 or by email at camps@liroughriders.com. He has been kind enough to share with us a discount code that you can use for online camp registrations to save 20%.  Use the discount code (are you ready?......) RRGAME20.  Also PLEASE let them know that you heard about them from me, CoachMommyLI (that way maybe they will continue to share great deals and information with us!!)

               

                I will also be writing soon about their FUN FREE Goalkeeper Clinic that they held last week and are having again this Tuesday.  Also, tomorrow my son’s team and I are attending the Rough Rider Independence Cup at the Bethpage Polo Grounds (my FAVE tourney and FAVORITE soccer fields).  Also, in the next few days, I will post special looks at the NY Red Bulls Youth Summer Soccer Camps and also the NOGA Youth Soccer Summer Camps.  As always- please comment, like-share-subscribe!