32 The Best of Monterey Bay® Family 2024-2025 Play Time Professional soccer players remind us that youth programs should start with fun and build from there. By Dave Faries Over the past several decades, youth soccer has become a staple for families across the country. Recent studies, however, suggest that while teenage participation in team sports is strong, more younger children are dropping out, not just from soccer but all organized sports. According to data cited by the U.S. Soccer Federation, participation by children 6 to 12 years old fell by almost 14 percent since 2020. Although the pandemic accounts for a portion of that figure, the consensus is that too much pressure—from parents and coaches—is taking enjoyment out of play. There’s another consensus, specific to Monterey County. There are still a lot of young soccer players active in the area, both talented and merely interested. With all of that in mind, professionals with Monterey Bay F.C. believe that parents and children should pay attention to some details when selecting a soccer camp or club. “You’re looking to have fun,” observes Pierce Gallaway, a rookie midfielder with MBFC. “You want to find a coach that inspires confidence and a love of the game.” Carmel native Gallaway and Adrian Rebollar, a veteran midfielder from Watsonville, both played in recreational programs before moving on to a developmental program in Santa Cruz—at the time the closest high level training available. Yet both emphasize the importance of enjoyment first. “You want somewhere you see that the staff cares, finding a place where the kid is welcome and the coach is teaching,” Rebollar says, noting that for the younger children, the focus should be on learning rather than winning. “It’s all about the kids.” While many parents and coaches want to be supportive, that encouragement often tilts toward aggressiveness. The professionals see benefits to approaching camps and clubs in defined stages. Programs for the youngest should concentrate on developing the basics in a non-competitive Above left: Running drills at Stevenson School’s coed soccer camp in Pebble Beach. Above right and below: The Monterey Recreation peewee and youth soccer leagues run from September through November. Duba Trujillo brent almario brent almario
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