Moriarty Soccer Camp Builds Skills and Community Connections

MORIARTY — Dozens of young athletes gathered on the pitch at Moriarty High School this week as varsity players and coaches hosted a two-day youth soccer camp aimed at building fundamental skills, fostering community ties, and inspiring the next generation of Pinto athletes.

The camp brought roughly 55 to 60 children—ranging from kindergarten through ninth grade—to the high school pitch for evening instruction led by Lady Pinto varsity head coach Val Luker and Pinto varsity head coach Jordon Allcorn, along with current high school players serving as mentors.

Organizers designed the $20-per-child gathering as an accessible community service project, with all registration fees directed back into supporting the Moriarty High School soccer programs.

“I think just to inspire them to have fun and recognize that it’s not about competition; it’s about bettering yourself, improvement, just all the things that sports do,” Luker said. “It’s just basically to build community, really, for the East Mountains.”

Luker, who is in her 20th year as head coach, noted that the camp creates a long-term network across the region. Former players often return to the program to coach, referee for local organizations like AYSO and the Duke City League or give back after college. Among those assisting this season are former player Sage Bond, who recently returned to the area after serving in the Peace Corps, and former Division I player Ashley, now pursuing a physician assistant degree.

For current varsity athletes, stepping into the role of camp counselor offers a firsthand look at the patience required on the other side of the whistle.

“I think there’s more respect when they leave and then come back,” Luker said regarding her players’ perspective on coaching. “Working with the kids, dealing with all those different personalities… that’s what makes it a greater experience and makes it more interesting.”

Allcorn, who returned to lead the boys’ program after a two-year hiatus, emphasized that the high school players gain just as much from the interaction as the young campers do.

“They really enjoy working with the kids,” Allcorn said. “I would say they’re young enough still that they remember being that age, and they should be able to have the understanding of how meaningful this time is for kind of finding your path and figuring out: Is soccer going to be a game for me, or is it going to be something that I use to motivate myself going forward in life?”

Allcorn added that the primary goal for the coaching staff and player-instructors was simply meeting the children where they are at developmentally and ensuring they had a positive experience on the field.

In addition to footwork drills and tactical exercises, the camp served as a bridge for young athletes to connect with high school players as role models ahead of the upcoming academic year.