CHICAGO (May 12, 2015) – U.S. Soccer will host its first “Girls Fantasy Camp” during the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada as a special fundraiser to support upcoming development initiatives and continue to grow the sport of soccer in the United States.
U.S. Soccer will accept 18 players into the Girls Fantasy Camp in Winnipeg, from June 7-13. Camp dates will overlap two of the USA’s opening group stage matches against Australia on June 8 and Sweden on June 12.
The camp, open to girls of all skill levels born in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, will consist of a seven-day training experience designed to mirror a National Team camp environment. The camp will be led by former Women’s National Team players, including camp director Lindsay Tarpley and assistant camp director Kacey Burke.
“This is a very unique opportunity for young players,” said Tarpley. “It’s a chance to see what it is like to be a National Team player on one of the biggest stages, the World Cup. This is something everyone dreams about as a player, but few get to experience.”
Tarpley is a two-time Olympic gold medal winner. She earned 125 caps for the WNT from 2003-2011 and scored 32 goals, putting her among the top-15 all-time goal scorers in U.S. history. Kacey Burke (formerly Kacey White) played for the WNT from 2006-2010. Since retiring, Burke has established herself as a promising coach. She currently serves as an assistant to the U.S. Youth National Teams and as assistant women’s soccer coach at the University of Oklahoma.
“I went to one of the Women’s National Team games when I was nine years old with my mom and two teammates,” said Burke. “It was amazing to see the players up close and personal. It was such a motivator to see females accomplishing what I also hoped to accomplish one day.”
Participation in the Girls Fantasy Camp is made possible through a generous donation to U.S. Soccer, part of which is tax deductible. Camp costs include accommodations, meals, daily training sessions, behind-the-scenes access to a U.S. WNT training session, ground transportation throughout the camp, National Team training gear and more.
U.S. Soccer is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Proceeds from the Girls Fantasy Camp will help fund important development initiatives to foster the next generation of inspirational coaches and players, including need-based scholarships for talented young players, high-performance National Team Programs, and Coaching Education.
A limited number of spots remain open for the Girls Fantasy Camp. If interested, please contact vip@ussoccer.org by May 22.