C. E. Grose Park in downtown Thorold was once again filled with screams of joy and laughter on Tuesday morning, as over 45 children chased behind soccer balls.
After taking last year off due to Covid-19, Thorold Councillor Carmen DeRose is back to hosting his yearly Super Soccer Camp.
De Rose has been organizing the three-day soccer camp, for kids aged six to 13, every summer for 32 years now.
Says DeRose, “The kids have fun and come back every year. I’ve had some of their parents come through the camp at one point so it’s interesting. We even had a couple of guys who made the NHL.”
DeRose draws from his wealth of soccer experience to coach the children.
“I’ve been playing it all my life,” says DeRose.
“I had a (soccer) scholarship at Clemson (University) in the States,” where he played for the NCAA and, “then I coached a lot after my career was over.”
DeRose thinks soccer instills great values into kids such as collaboration, respect, and teamwork.
Says DeRose, “One of the things I find, I teach in schools and, the work ethic of kids has dropped off over the years, so this gets them back (up).”
Even though he has been hosting the camp for over three decades DeRose says he’s going to keep doing it “until I’m an old man”.
