HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- The New England Revolution professional soccer team held a free youth soccer clinic here June 30.
Hanscom Youth Services staff and volunteers hosted Revolution players and staff members, as well as Hanscom children and parents, for an afternoon of fun.
“We were very excited to have this program at Hanscom and particularly glad it was open to the younger children,” said Colleen Davis, Hanscom’s Youth Program coordinator. “A lot of our younger kids here at Hanscom play and enjoy soccer, so we were thrilled to have this opportunity for them to not only learn a few skills, but also foster a lifetime love for the sport.”
The soccer clinic was open to children ages 4 to 12.
“This is great, since I have three boys who play soccer,” said Jennifer Feranec, a Hanscom resident. “My husband is in the Air Force and we just moved here last week. I saw that they were offering this through the Youth Center and it was a perfect opportunity for our boys to learn about the Revolution soccer team.”
The New England Revolution has an extensive youth development program, a part of which is the Revolution Academy. Recognized as one of the top programs in the country, the Academy’s teams compete in MLS NEXT Pro competitions and recently won a national championship at 2022 MLS NEXT Cup in the Under-19 age division. The Academy staff organize and coordinate the clinics and, with the assistance of Major League Soccer players, run the various stations and instruct the kids on techniques and skills.
“The Revolution regularly goes to local communities to do clinics or we have them at Gillette Stadium, but this is the first time we’ve brought a clinic onto a military base,” said Emily Plowman, New England Revolution community engagement coordinator.
The program at Hanscom featured several different stations designed to teach participants basic soccer skills including kicking, passing, dribbling, and ball control.
“Soccer is a sport that supports not only physical development, but social, cognitive, and emotional areas as well,” said Davis.
A handful of the current team members joined the Academy staff in coaching the kids on their ball handling and teamwork.
“It’s really cool to see the kids and how much fun they have just playing the sport that we all love,” said Ryan Spaulding, Revolution team member.
Spaulding is an outside back for the team and has played with the club for the last three years. He said he had never been on a military base before and was struck by the camaraderie the service members and their families shared.
“This was my first time working with military families and I had a great time,” he said. “I didn’t know how much of a community it was and it was really cool to see. I would love to come back.”