Great Hearts Athletes Invited to “Kick It” with Barça Summer Camp

Great Hearts Academies January 23, 2025

It was another amazing Barça Soccer Winter Camp where many Great Hearts athletes, aged 6 to 14, and their coaches had the opportunity to learn the FC Barcelona methodology from top Barça Academy coaches. If you missed it, don’t get your knee-high socks in a knot, because the Barça Academy is excited to announce their Phoenix Summer Camp, June 9-13, 2025, at the Scottsdale Sports Complex.

Barça Academy Camps are dedicated to the training and enhancement of young soccer players’ sporting abilities. Managed by the Barça Academy in Barcelona, Spain, the camps feature coaches who provide a structured program, guidelines, and expertise. Great Hearts athletes who attended the winter camp had the opportunity to experience the Barça way of training while forming new friendships with peers from other schools across the Valley.

Besides getting an opportunity to train with world-class coaches from Barça Academies in Casa Grande, Australia, and Barcelona, attending a Barça Camp is an unforgettable experience filled with surprises. You never know who might show up. At the recent winter camp, two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and former Phoenix Suns superstar Steve Nash was spotted kicking around a soccer ball. Born in Canada, Nash once considered pursuing a soccer career before dedicating himself to basketball.

Great Hearts coaches also greatly benefited from these camps, where they witness true excellence in skill and leave with a rejuvenated passion for the game and a fresh perspective that will further their commitment to their players.

“This was my second time coaching at a Barça Camp here in Phoenix,” shared Lincoln Prep high school soccer coach, Joseph Frechette. “As a life-long soccer player and fan, and second year coach, I really enjoy getting to learn and teach the methodology of one of the world’s greatest clubs. The comradery amongst both local and Catalan coaches, as well as the talent, work ethic, and positive attitude of the players, made this winter’s camp truly something special.”

Alfredo Hernández, middle school soccer coach at Trivium Prep, said the overall experience he had at the camp was great. “As a new coach, this experience taught me several new things to implement in my coaching This camp is great for upcoming new coaches, and kids that want to be great soccer players and human beings,” he said. “I appreciate that although the Barça Academy teaches kids how to play soccer, kids also learn how to be better human beings. The values the academy promotes: respect, effort, ambition, teamwork, and humility, are also values I partake in my life, and inside my classroom as a teacher,” said Hernández.

Because of the great partnership the Barça Camps have enjoyed with Great Hearts Arizona academies over the last three years, they have extended a special offer to our student athletes for the Phoenix Summer Camp. Use code GH25SOCCER when you register to receive $50 off. And if you register before January 31^st, 2025, you will also receive $150 off with their Super Early Bird pricing. Plus, players could be selected for an unforgettable trip to Barcelona. This camp is open to boys aged 5 to 10* years old, and girls aged 5 to 14 years old. *Boys aged 11 to 14 years old are encouraged to check out theSummer Residency Camp in Casa Grande.

Email soccer@katapult.es if you have any questions or reach out to @barcaacademyphx on Instagram and Facebook.

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Submit a student application to a Great Hearts Academy by visiting: https://www.greatheartsamerica.org/enroll/.