Soccer For Everyone In North OC: Camp For At Risk Students

STANTON, CA — Students and student volunteers will get to play outside and learn the beautiful game of soccer, thanks to the OC GRIP program. Approximately 370 elementary students will participate in the three soccer camps this spring, across Orange County.

Kids will learn the basics of the game from qualified coaches, many of which are also in law enforcement.

“The students look forward to soccer camp all school year. It is a wonderful opportunity for the children to get to interact in a fun way with law enforcement, district attorneys, soccer champions, and community leaders.” Principal Michelle Rushall of Wakeham Elementary School said of the program.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) annual soccer camps for students as part of an ongoing gang prevention effort to build self-esteem and encourage healthy and positive choices. Designed to keep at-risk students positively engaged during spring break, the 3-day soccer camps taking place across Orange County were organized through the Orange County Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership (OC GRIP) to encourage youth to avoid the eminent dangers of gang life and get involved in healthy team-building extra-curricular programs.

OC GRIP soccer camp participants will be treated to a day of activities at Chapman University on Wednesday, April 4, 2018.

The students will take a college tour in the morning, eat lunch provided by the university, then play soccer on their field. Chapman University President Dr. Daniele C. Struppa will be at the event, along with District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and Orange Police Department (OPD) Chief Tom Kisela.

The Fullerton/ Buena Park/ Anaheim soccer camp is a joint effort between the OCDA, OC GRIP, Chapman University, California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), CSUF Police Chief Dennis Demaio, Orange County Probation Department (Probation) Chief Steve Sentman, Anaheim Police Department Acting Chief Julian Harvey, Buena Park Police Chief Corey Sianez, Fullerton Police Chief David Hendricks, and their respective departments,
along with The Way Fellowship Church in Buena Park. Awards will be presented by dignitaries from all involved agencies.

The Orange/ Garden Grove/ Stanton soccer camp is a joint effort between the OCDA, OC GRIP, Chapman University OC Probation, OPD Chief Kisela, Garden Grove Chief Todd Elgin, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, and their respective departments.

The San Clemente/San Juan Capistrano/Mission Viejo soccer camp is a joint effort between the OCDA, OC GRIP, Probation, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Contact: Sheri Ledbetter

Over 100 students and student volunteers from each of the respective camps, all of which include cities known to have rival criminal street gangs, will participate. The camps will feature police officers and volunteers coaching and playing soccer with the students during the morning hours, and building character in the afternoons through presentations and guest speakers.

OC GRIP is in 54 schools in 10 cities throughout Orange County and partners with private businesses and corporations, faith-based and non-profit organizations, school districts, and community leaders to identify issues involving academics, attendance, and behavior in at-risk students, and to find solutions.

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