Press Release

Annual Soccer Camp for Displaced Children

ATLANTA – Oglethorpe University head soccer coach Jon Akin and ten Oglethorpe soccer players will join coaches and players from the Louisiana Spirit River Team to hold soccer camps for displaced children in Jefferson Parish and Edgar, Louisiana, on February 23 and 24. The camps will provide soccer training and prove to the children that anyone can play soccer.

Amp Circle and L&L Trailer Communities, two FEMA Transitional Trailer Communities, are isolated from many activities and conveniences that residents of New Orleans were accustomed to having access to before Hurricane Katrina. “This annual soccer camp is a welcomed outlet and creates a lasting beginning for future recreational ventures in the area of St. John the Baptist Parish,” said Councilman Lester Rainey.

“We want to teach these kids that the skills they learn on the field will help them succeed during a game and in life. If you practice everyday, work hard and stay determined you can be a success on and off the field,” said Oglethorpe University’s Coach Akin.

With the support of St. John the Baptist Parish, the parish school board and the city council, the residents of the communities will have transportation to the site of the soccer camp. The Louisiana Spirit River Team will provide free T-shirts to every participant and refreshments will be provided by the St. John Parish Recreational Department. Coach Akin has also helped obtain donated soccer balls and goals for both camps. Additional support has been provided by TYSA, Concorde, GSA and Future Stars Soccer Academy.