Local soccer star imparts knowledge of the game at his own youth camp

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Recent Foxcroft Academy graduate Tino Ayala, a star soccer player during his four years on the pitch for the Ponies, gave back to the community by running his own week-long soccer camp for children in kindergarten through grade 8. The inaugural session of the “Ayala Soccer Academy” had 50 participants learning about the sport June 27 through July 1 on the Morton Avenue field.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

AYALA SOCCER ACADEMY — Tino Ayala, who graduated from Foxcroft Academy last month, watches a drill during the five-day inaugural Ayala Soccer Academy last week on the Morton Avenue field in Dover-Foxcroft. Ayala passed on his knowledge and love of the sport to 50 players in grades K-8. Later in the month Ayala will be attending a soccer exchange program in England and he hopes to continue his career in the sport at Div. II Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire during the upcoming fall season.

“We have been planning this since the winter,” Ayala, 18, said during a mid-morning water break for campers on July 1. “It’s a time for kids to get ready for the next season.”

“There’s not a lot of soccer camps in the area, especially at the price that I’m offering,”Ayala said, saying a number of parents have thanked him for making the week affordable. “I think it’s good for this area.”

“You get a full day’s worth and a lunch and breakfast that the school includes — the free program,” he said.

During the week at the Ayala Soccer Academy, campers could eat across the street at the SeDoMoCha School where through the summer food service program all children 18 and under can receive a free meal on weekdays — from 8:30-9 a.m. and 11 a.m.-noon — through mid-August.

“We have 50 kids, I think this is the biggest soccer camp in this area in a long time,” Ayala said. “It’s K through 8 so we split them up, K through 4 and then fifth through 8 and we have competitions and prizes at the very end.”

“We’re working on, for K through 4, fundamentals, dribbling, passing and technique for the game and tactical strategies,” Ayala said. “Fifth through 8 it’s a little more advanced but we’re still working on fundamentals and the tactics of the game and techniques, especially breaking habits they’ve formed over the years and just getting them prepared for the next level.”

Assisting at the Ayala Soccer Academy were a half dozen past, current and future Ponies, comprised of two recent graduates, a rising senior and three incoming freshmen. Ayala’s younger brother Rico was one of the younger counselors and also assisting was their father — Foxcroft boys soccer head coach Luis Ayala.

Tino Ayala said he has attended a number of sports camps which provided him with ideas for his own session. “I’ve been to plenty and I’ve really been influenced by the Chris Parsons Soccer Camp he used to run here, the (Dutch Soccer Academy) Camp I’ve gone to for the past five years in Presque Isle. So a lot of drills and games I incorporate here I’ve gotten from camps all over Maine.” He said there was one rainy day during the week, but the camp headed inside to the adjacent Morton Avenue Gym.

“We have four towns represented, Dover, Charleston, Monson, Dexter and then we have some players from New York and New Jersey visiting for the summer and heard about the camp so I think that’s pretty cool,” Ayala said. “It looks like a lot of kids here enjoyed it, they’re really excited for the prizes at the end. We got soccer balls, bags and bottles. I enjoy it and the counselors I have are very helpful. It’s been a great week, I hope to do it again in the future.”

Ayala’s aim for the Ayala Soccer Academy was to pass on his knowledge and love of the game but the week also served in part as a fundraiser for a two-week trip to England later in the month. “I’ve been selected as one of 16 members from Maine to go and do an exchange with an English academy,” he said.

“It’s a trip of a lifetime for me,” Ayala said. “I’ve always wanted to go to Europe and play and this is the best opportunity I’m going to get and the camp is definitely going to help out with funds for the trip. That’s not the whole reason for doing the camp but it’s a great benefit and bonus to it.”

While across the Atlantic Ayala and the other soccer players from Maine will be training with professional coaches. “Then we’re going to enter a tournament and we’re going to watch a couple of Premier (League) games and do some sight seeing, I’m really excited,” he said. Ayala said each team member stays with a host family to be further immersed in the country’s culture.

At the end of the summer Ayala will start his first year at Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, N.H. where he will begin a seven-year program to earn his doctorate of physical therapy. Ayala said he hopes to be able to play soccer at the NCAA Div. II school in the southwest corner of New Hampshire.

“I’m going to try, I’ve talked with the coach and I’ve got to really work on some things,” Ayala said as he will attempt to make the jump to college from Maine’s Class B ranks. Ayala listed improving his physical strength, getting faster and “really toning my game” as needed area of improvement for the transition to NCAA Div. II soccer.

He said balancing playing soccer at Franklin Pierce with his academics will be a big consideration in the years to come. “I really want to play but if it doesn’t work out that’s what happens,” Ayala said. “That’s definitely one thing I have to look at and if things happen so be it but if I get the chance to play that’d be great and I’d really enjoy it.”

Photo courtesy of Angela Ayala

SUMMER SOCCER — About 50 campers in kindergarten through grade 8 from four area towns and three states took part in the Ayala Soccer Academy last week at the Morton Avenue field in Dover-Foxcroft. The five-day camp was run by recent Foxcroft Academy graduate Tino Ayala with a half dozen recent, current and future Foxcroft Academy students serving as counselors.