Oakland, CA – Let The Kids Play, a free soccer camp for kids aged 8-12, will be returning to Oakland in 2024, hosted at Oakland Roots & Soul’s UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Training facility.
‘Let The Kids Play’ was created in 2023 by Mike Garrick, a local entrepreneur and former soccer player, in response to what he saw as a lack of opportunities for kids in Oakland to access high-quality soccer training for free.
“Many kids miss out on the opportunity to play at a high level because of the increasing financial barriers in US soccer” said Mike. “This is why our camp is completely free of charge to attend. We serve the Oakland youth excluded from the traditional soccer system and allow them to experience high-quality coaching and play. Nothing will stop us from simply letting the kids play!”.
This year, the camp will be supported by a grant from the Oakland Roots and Soul Foundation, providing jerseys, training equipment, soccer balls and materials.
Alongside Mike and his team of dedicated coaches, this year kids attending the camp will have the chance to be trained by professional players from Oakland Roots SC and female players who competed with Oakland Soul in the most recent USL W League season.
Visit the website to find out more and sign up; https://www.letthekidsplay.co/registration
