This week, the Upper Room Summer Soccer Camps will officially begin at Swope Soccer Village. The camp will be held five days a week for four hours a day. The camp runs daily through end of July.
The summer soccer camp started over 8 years ago with around 1,000 kids enrolled. It has grown tremendously since then as there are 3,200 kids expected this year.
Heartland Soccer created the summer soccer camps with Upper Room and has been one of the biggest supporters of this program. This summer, Heartland will help with the funding of the camps, donating all of the equipment and field rental. Also, Heartland coaches from across the area will provide instruction throughout the week.
“We are very proud to offer and support such a tremendous opportunity for these kids. Soccer is a sport where all ages and skill levels can play. At its very core, the game of soccer is simple. Just kick the ball, run and have fun so literally almost everyone can play,” said Shane Hackett, Heartland Soccer Executive Director. “We started these camps many years ago playing out in the middle of nowhere. No real soccer fields just open land and lots of weeds. Now to have the camps at this world class soccer complex is quite unbelievable. The kids love it!”
Swope Soccer Village, which is Located at 63rd and Lewis Road in Kansas City, Missouri’s Swope Park, the state-of-the-art Swope Soccer Village features nine full-size soccer fields – three natural grass and six synthetic turf – as part of a $15.5 million expansion. Home to MLS Cup champions Sporting Kansas City since 2007; the facility has also attracted marquee events such as the Big 12 Soccer Championship as well as the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships for Division II (2016-17) and Division III (2014-15).
Heartland Soccer Association is a non-profit organization located in Overland Park, Kansas. Heartland represents more than 1,150 league teams and nearly 17,000 players. This is just league play; the organization also holds some of the largest tournaments in the Midwest. When you add up league and tournament play, Heartland represents more than 2,500 teams. Heartland is dedicated to developing and promoting a healthy lifestyle to the youth of Kansas City.
Upper Room is a local non-profit organization that works closely with youth groups in the Swope Park Corridor and surrounding areas. The organization provides high-quality programs to low-income families in the Kansas City area.