The soccer camp program is led by Director Lenny Muckle Sr., and all kids receive position-specific instruction from expert coaches with extensive playing and coaching experience. The free camp is for girls and boys in kindergarten through the eighth grade. Was this the first soccer camp on the Hill?
“I have hosted soccer camps in the Hill since 1999,” said Muckle. “It’s a changing community and we are establishing community programs also on the North Side and East End and we are excited about our partners and are looking forward to a long-term relationship.”
Ambassador Sports Pittsburgh announced a new partnership with Bedford Dwellings, New Life Temple, Baptist Church City Reformed, Presbyterian Church, the Hill District branch of the YMCA, the Urban Impact, and Ammons Recreational Center.
Ambassadors In Sports was originally founded in 1990 to get kids involved in their communities through soccer. The ministry was founded by a group called Missionary Athletes International. They focused from the beginning to partner with churches and Christian organizations to develop grass root soccer ministry.
“We had over 80 kids signup for the camp and between 60 and 77 kids attended each day and this exceeded our expectation,” said Muckle. “There are a lot of foreign kids living in the city of Pittsburgh and sometimes we have as much as 20 different counties represented at our camps.”
The AIS are looking to ride their recent momentum and coach Muckle is enthusiastically embracing his role as director but he is aware of the demands of coaching on the camp level that features a schedule much demanding and hopes to be able to host year around soccer camps.
The camp is a Christian soccer outreach organization dedicated to the transformation of individuals and communities through innovative programs focused on football, faith, and future.
With the success of the U.S. World Cup team and popularity of athletes like Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsy, it’s no wonder that the love for soccer has grown in the states. This sport is on the rise and soccer players may find it easier to find sports scholarships than athletes who play football or basketball.
“Our camps are co-ed and my theory is the kids in the United States don’t see soccer as a way to make a lot of money and don’t understand or appreciate the foreign countries and the professional leagues overseas,” said Muckle. “Many of our former campers have received college soccer scholarships and our focus is on the inner city kids. With the increase popularity of MLS and other U.S. leagues coupled with all the concussions in American football you may see a shift toward soccer.”
Ambassadors Soccer Camps are designed to give developing players an opportunity to learn basic and advanced soccer skills in a positive and encouraging Christian environment. Many participants come in with no previous experience and learn everything they need to know.
Social media played a big role in AIS getting the camps together and also landing long-term partnerships.
The Ambassadors Football Pittsburgh next soccer camp will begin July 6 through July 10, at the Eden Christian Academy-Berkeley Hills Campus located at 206 Seibert Rd., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15237.
“This is not a free camp, but scholarships are available,” said Muckle. “We will have coaching coming in from all over the world.”
(For more information call Coach Lenny Muckle Sr at 412 403-4044 or you can contact any of the partner organizations, at pgh@ambassadorsfootball.org.)
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