ProXtreme clinic goes beyond kickball

Several players from the Kapa‘a High School boys soccer team had a workout before their Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation game against the Red Raiders, Wednesday.

Chance Bukoski, who finished with two goals in the Warriors’ 2-0 victory, Ikaika Fuerte and Parker Blaylock were involved in helping Phil Neddo, several professional soccer players and coaches and players from the Honolulu Bulls soccer program at the proXtreme soccer camp which opened Wednesday.

“The boys had a little scrimmage with the pro players before having to leave for the KIF game,” said Todd Fuerte, who along with Kevin Cram, coaches the Kapa‘a boys.

“Parker got the most out of the experience,” said Fuerte. “He faced the pros one-on-one and tried to stop their shots. He got a few, and a few got in the net, but he got to experience the pros’ shots.”

Neddo, who has been coaching for more than 20 years, brought along several professional soccer players, Clint Mathis who plays with the L.A. Galaxy, Kenji Treschuk who plays with the Seattle Sounders, and Duke Hashimoto who is on the Real Salt Lake roster.

“These players are doing it for free,” Fuerte said. “They know what it’s like coming up through the system, and now, they’re giving back.”

Fuerte said professional players usually charge high retainer fees to host clinics, but these players know what it’s like growing up, and they appreciate the fact that someone took the time to teach them. They are now taking the role of teaching the younger players who will one day be teaching others as well, Fuerte said.

Neddo said the proceeds from the camp will be set aside to benefit the growth of soccer in the state.

“There are a lot of kids who come to Honolulu to play with clubs and programs there,” Neddo said. “But the coaches have never gotten together.”

Neddo said with the help of Jimmy Tokioka, he arranged to have a meeting with Kaua‘i’s soccer coaches.

“Would you believe, they play 50 feet away from each other, and have never taken the time to get to know each other?” Neddo said. “People found out that some of them are ‘nice people.’ But in the heat of the game is not the time to get to know each other. You need to get them together.”

Neddo said the proceeds from the proXtreme camps will be earmarked to improve and help soccer develop throughout the state.

Ikaika Fuerte and Bukoski are only two of the Kaua‘i players who make trips to Honolulu to play on the Honolulu Bulls’ roster, and that earned them spots to help lead drills and demonstrations with the pro players.

Additionally, Neddo got help from former Kaua‘i players Christian Marston and Micah Ohlen whom Neddo said played at the same time Hashimoto was playing.

The three-day camp which ends at 1 p.m. today offered more than just 50 kids on the soccer field kicking balls around.

Instead, the event involved heavy interaction between the campers and the pro players as well as the helpers.

One parent who watched his son during lunch hour said he was happy the boy was actually having fun.

Fuerte said, “Kaua‘i is already known as a ‘soccer island,’ and the kids who come in know it’s fun. This just reinforces that.”

But the camp was not limited to just boys as a lot of female players mixed in with the boys from all parts of the island.

“We also invited coaches from the different programs to come and be a part of this,” Neddo said, noting that coaches need to know how to coach so the soccer concept can grow.

For the professional players, this was just a preview for their return trip later in February when the inaugural Pan-Pacific Soccer Championships open at Aloha Stadium on Feb. 20.

Mathis will be with David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy team which opens the first round against Gamba Osaka.

Tickets for the Pan-Pacific tournament are now on sale through any Ticketmaster retail outlet, or at the Aloha Stadium box office.