Playing Life Academy & Footfire Soccer Camp

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Footfire camp for 6-year-old?

Feb 2012

Looking for recent reviews of Footfire soccer camp. My 6-year old is a soccer enthusiast with boundless energy. The camp sounds good but I want to make sure it's well organized with a balance of good instruction and lots of fun. anon

Footfire is a great camp for a soccer enthusiast. The owners (Carlos and Caroline) are nice and capable people. It is a multi-age camp, so not the best choice for an immature or timid 6-year-old. It's soccer in the AM, and crafts or soccer (free choice) in the afternoon. The food (hot lunches) is outstanding and included in the price. Carlos is inspiring and connects well with kids. My son has attended for the past 3-4 years. anon

May 2009

Last year my child went to Soccer Basics and Footfire soccer camps. I recommend both camps highly.

Footfire is a fast-paced, well-run camp with an inspirational director, Carlos Hill, which is good for high-energy kids, and kids who want a challenge. It offers more of a total package for parents, with organic snack and lunch offered and crafts in the afternoon. The staff is very nice. Footfire has a new website: http://web.me.com/footfire/Site/2009_Camp.html anon

Re: Summer soccer camp for 7 yo boy (Feb 2007)
You could check out Footfire. It is held at codornices park (on the softball field). It is ususally held in the beginning of the summer. They provide snacks and lunch in the price. Probably not a good choice for kids with nut allergies at peanut butter is served. The couple who runs the camp are great. And, yes, they do have aftercare (yay!) which is the thing that makes a day coamp possible for those of us who work full days and/or work in SF. Mom

Re: One-week soccer camp for 6-year-old (Feb 2006)
My son attended Footfire for three weeks last summer at the age of almost 6 and loved it. It was his first experience with soccer and he learned a lot that he applied playing on his first team last fall. He'll be going back this summer. I liked that it was very balanced gender-wise, that they have arts and crafts projects, and that they use lots of teenage CITs. rachel

Re: One-week soccer camp for 6-year-old (Feb 2006)
My daughters loved Footfire Soccer Camp! It took some coaxing from me to talk them into trying it for a week last summer. They had tried the camps at Strawberry Canyon but for the most part had found them exhausting and not that much fun. They are both fairly athletic, but had not been into team sports. However, I'd heard good things about Footfire, and we live just a few blocks away from Codornices Park, so I really wanted them to give it a try. I had a good talk with Carlos, the coach, to find out if this would really work for girls who had ony played some soccer in school but not on a team. He assured me there was a wide range of experience and my girls would be fine. He was right. The following fall my oldest surprised me by signing up for her middle school soccer team! (My youngest, who was 9 at the time, was also more eager to try new sports after this.) So my kids are clamoring to do it again this summer. And let me tell you, half the reason they want to do it again and came home happy every day was the great food at the camp! The catered lunch is incredible. Whether your kid is a Berkeley food snob or an ''I only eat white bread and potato chips'' kid, they will be delighted by the delicious, healthy food and snacks (if you have a junk food junkie, just don't tell them about the ''healthy food'' part and prepare yourself to be amazed but what they'll eat). Kudos to the caterer, Carlos' wife, for her inventive, tempting array of nourishment for growing, active bodies! Natasha

Feb 2003

I'm looking into soccer camps, and stumbled upon the Footfire day camp in Berkeley. Can anyone recommend this camp based on their experience? Anyone know any reason why I shouldn't enroll my 8-year old son? Thanks. stephanie

Footfire is a terrific camp. My son (now 13) has been there several years in a row and loves it. He prefers it over all other soccer camps he has attended. Carlos makes it really fun for all of the kids -- he emphasizes the fun of soccer, not the competition, and the kids really learn a lot of new skills. They also serve lunch to the kids -- a really nice lunch, pasta, sandwiches, etc. A great camp. Kerry

My son attended Footfire for a week last summer. He thoroughly enjoyed himself, and I thought the camp was run by nice people. The camp has a large range of ages, so it is looser than a camp run for young children, but an 8 year old should be fine. The camp also seemed better for kids like my boy who enjoy running around playing soccer all day. Sima

The Footfire folks are fabulous! We enrolled our 5 y.o. son for a two week session last summer and for him it may have been too much running around outside with not enough ''down time''... he came home really exhausted. But I found the camp people to be wonderful, informed, spirited, kind... great with the kids! And the snacks were healthy! For your son's age it should be a super time. Sooz