ShawneeDispatch.com

Now well into the month of June, school hallways are silent and empty, but last week, athletic activities continued at Mill Valley High School.

Jaguars soccer coach Arlan Vomhof welcomed both boys and girls ages 4 to 16 to participate in his annual, week-long summer camp in hopes of teaching eager kids the same basics and intangibles that have made him one of the most successful soccer coaches in Kansas City.

Starting at 8:30 each morning, Vomhof and his coaching staff ran dribbling drills and preached technique starting with kindergarteners, and proceeded throughout the day until the last high school athlete left.

Each year that Vomhof has opened his camp, he has seen the number of participants rise, and this year he saw the greatest turnout since the camp's conception.

"Camp went very well," Vomhof said. "We had the most kids we have ever had, and we got a lot done.

"Everyone who showed up was excited to be out here, the weather cooperated all week, and there were no injuries, so everything turned out very well."

During the camp, Vomhof and his staff stress the importance of fundamentals, teach new moves each day and then allow the participants to practice what they have learned in drills or game-like environments.

"Everyday we teach them new stuff and review so that on the last day we can rotate and play games," Vomhof said. "That way they have a chance to apply the new moves and techniques they have learned during the week and are able to work on them further while having a good time."

Vomhof's approach varies significantly when dealing with first-graders as opposed to high schoolers, but the general objective is still the same -- to improve.

"The main thing that we want to do with the younger kids is to teach them the proper way to do things," Vomhof said, "so that in the future they possess the necessary skills to perform at a competitive level and can then begin to focus primarily on tactics as opposed to technique and fundamentals.

"Usually our goal with the high school participants is to address aspects of their game that they can work on individually so that they can improve and be more effective when they play competitively."

Overall, Vomhof's camp was a success, and served as the perfect environment to promote Mill Valley soccer, while giving kids of all ages a chance to get out during their summer and practice a sport they obviously love.

"Camp is always a good time," Vomhof said. "It is always great to see kids who are enthusiastic and willing to take time out during their summer to practice something they enjoy.

"Hopefully we were able to boost their passion for soccer even further, because that's what it's really about."