SOCCER CAMP DEMANDS A LOT FROM PLAYERS.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Daily News Staff Writer

The Soccer Direct camps at California Lutheran University this week are a family affair for the Kuntz clan.

Dan, the men's and women's soccer coach at Cal Lutheran, and his brother George, the UC Irvine men's coach, come out. They are often joined by parents and spouses working with the 199 boys and girls at the camp this week.

``The kids are focused,'' Dan Kuntz said. ``They're coming in to work.''

And work they do, whether it's the 70 in the elite camp or the 129 in the day camp.

The elite camp, made up of advanced players ages 13-17 at the Select, Club, High School or Olympic Development levels, is much more accelerated and pressure-filled. It also has more top coaches as instructors, including Leo Cuellar of Cal State Los Angeles, Lalo Alvarado of Westlake High School, Lisa Ferragamo, a CLU assistant coach, and Trish Butterball of Buena High.

The camp day begins at 5:30 a.m. with a run up and down the highest hill on campus. That is followed by some foot work, breakfast and a rest period until 9 a.m.

The kids do more technical work until 11 a.m., followed by lunch and free time until 1:30 p.m. At that point, there's more skill work to be done until 4, when the camp breaks for swimming, free time and dinner at 5 p.m.

In the evening, the camp plays full games and tournaments until dark.

The work is hard by design, Kuntz said.

``This is not to bring them down, but to give them a sense of what expectations have to be,'' Kuntz said, stressing that the campers know the coaches are pulling for them.

``We have some talented young players. It's great to see them have fun, but they still have to work. They find that the harder they work, they more fun they have.''

The day camp stresses more fun through learning, Kuntz said. It runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for ages 5-14 and emphasizes fundamental skills, positional and team play. It also includes video sessions and swim time.

George Kuntz started the camps 18 years ago in Mesa, Ariz., as the Mesa Soccer Camp. According to Dan Kuntz, his brother held clinics for young children, and everyone enjoyed them.

Over time, Dan Kuntz joined his brother in running the clinics and camps.

When George moved to California in the 1980s, the camps were held in both states. Now, with the family here, the camps are strictly in California.

The name also was changed, Dan said, because they wanted to emphasize a more direct, offensive-minded, aggressive approach to soccer.

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Photo

Photo: Goalie Sam Amiri attempts to stop a shot by Matt Por ter during the Soccer Direct Camp at Cal Lutheran University, where young players learn the basics and older players work even harder.

Jeremy Greene/Special to the Daily News