By Gary Curreri
There was some friendly family feuding at the recent Simply Soccer camp at the city of Pompano Beach’s
4-Fields Complex recently.
Three sets of brothers and sisters were among the campers who took part in learning a variety of soccer skills from dribbling to shooting. Brooke and Kenny Morgan, Kayla, Allison and Bryce Cunneen, along with Grace and Olivia Pettee, said they all had an enjoyable time during the weeklong camp, which was held during the holiday break.
“I have been to three soccer camps in the past,” said Allison Cunneen, 9, of Pompano Beach. “I like this one because it was close to home and I really learned a lot. This one was different because you learned new skills and practiced them in scrimmages that same day.”
The children, ranging in age from 5-14, also watched movies during lunch and went swimming to cool off before ending the day with scrimmage games.
“The best game was steal the bacon,” said Kenny Morgan, 8, of Pompano Beach, who attended his first camp. “I learned how to pass the ball, control the ball and score goals.”
Brooke Morgan, 10, said she learned a lot and enjoyed when the coaches played with the campers during games.
“I made some new friends, and mostly the counselors would make me go home with a smile,” Brooke Morgan said. “They made me come back for more.”
Each player received a certificate and a written evaluation of their performance at the close of camp.
The Cunneen’s mom, Gloria, said they really enjoyed the experience.
“They would come home each day showing what new skills they learned, in addition to sharing the stories and experiences that were shared by their coaches that day,” she said. “From a parent’s perspective, this is great! They enjoyed all of the coaches and looked up to the high school and college students. They are great role models for kids!”
Peterson wins
national awards
A day after being named the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year and the SEC’s Special Teams Player of the Year, former Blanche Ely standout Patrick Peterson added two national awards to his collection.
Peterson won both the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back and the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation’s best defensive player. The junior won both awards at the ESPN College Football Awards Show in Orlando.
“It’s an honor to be the first player at LSU to win these awards,” said Peterson, who is considering entering the NFL draft this year. “One of my goals at the beginning of the season was to win this award and be the best I could possibly be. I am very thankful for this opportunity and I owe it to my coaches and my family for putting me in the best position to succeed. This experience is something I will never forget.”
Peterson, a cornerback at LSU who was known as Patrick Johnson during his days at Ely, finished the regular season with 36 tackles and four interceptions. He also had 1.5 tackles for losses; six pass break-ups and a blocked field goal. Peterson earned his second All-America honor and became the first player since Glenn Dorsey and Craig Steltz in 2007 to receive Walter Camp All-America accolades.
