Thursday, June 16, 2011

KENNESAW, Ga. – The country of Ecuador is home to around 15 million people, its official language is Spanish and its most popular sport is soccer. The Kennesaw State women’s soccer program must know all of these things and more as it will be bringing its winning tradition to the South American nation of Ecuador later this month to teach a two-week soccer camp.

Head Coach Rob King and six women’s soccer student-athletes are making preparations to travel to Ecuador to conduct a soccer camp for 150 boys and girls, aged 7 to 17, at Colegio Menor San Francisco de Quito. Colegio Menor San Francisco de Quito is located in the valley of Cumbaya about 15 minutes from Quito, which is the capital of Ecuador, and it’s a private bilingual school founded in 1995.

The invitation to conduct the soccer camp was an outgrowth of KSU’s successful Student Teaching International Study Abroad program held in conjunction with Universidad de San Francisco de Quito. For the past several years, KSU has offered elementary education students the opportunity to gain valuable field teaching experience at the English speaking K-12 international school, Colegio Menor.

“This is a good example of the partnership and synergy that exists between our schools,” said KSU President Daniel S. Papp. “We are always looking for more ways to expand the reach of our international programs, and this represents a unique opportunity for our student-athletes to teach others while at the same time learn more about different cultures."

This marks the first time any KSU student-athletes have ventured outside of the country to conduct a summer camp, which will be held June 27- July 8. The KSU contingent will be assisted by camp counselors at Colegio Menor. Approximately 150 bilingual children are expected to participate. The camp in Ecuador is sandwiched between KSU’s own summer soccer camps, so there will be no disruption for boys and girls attending camps on the KSU campus during June and July.

“We have several education majors making the trip and two fluent in Spanish, so we’re going to be able to handle whatever comes our way,” said Rob King, head coach women’s soccer and assistant athletic director. “This is a wonderful opportunity for all concerned and appears to fit well with Kennesaw State’s mission of global outreach and service to the community. Plus, while we’re there we’re looking to expand our horizons with educational excursions for our student-athletes to the Galapagos Islands, an active volcano and the rainforest, which are all nearby.”

In addition to King, the following women’s soccer team members are making the trip:
Caroline Austin of Peachtree City, Ga., defense — 2011 graduate, Bagwell College of Education
Sofia Blanco of Roswell, Ga., midfield — junior, biology major
Savannah Duet of Marietta, Ga., forward — senior, communication major
Lexi Hastings of Ontario, Canada, defense — junior, early childhood education major
Kristin Marietta of Douglasville, Ga., forward — senior, early childhood education major
Katie Schwartz of Fayetteville, Ga., defense — senior, biology major

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