Testimonials From W&L Soccer Camp Alumnae

Haley Ward: Sophomore, Federal Way, WA, Camper 2009 and 2010
One day I got home from school and opened one of those general letters sent out to prospective students for Washington and Lee University. Having never heard of the school before this, I read the letter, became interested, then searched online and found that it would be a good school for me to look into. It seemed to have everything I was looking for. So after contacting Coach Neil, I decided to go to the camp to see the campus and witness for myself the level of play I could expect from this team. Before making the trip across the country to attend soccer camp at Washington and Lee University, I knew the school was towards the top of my list, but after only the first training session, I realized this was the perfect place for me. I had so much fun I came back for a second year.

What made the camp so unique was not only the close attention from the coaches, but everyone’s positive attitude towards camp; I felt like the coaches and players really cared that every girl had a good experience. I’m pretty sure Coach Neil even pulled an all-nighter to talk to every junior and senior girl interested in attending the school. It was this effort put in by the coach paired with the positivity of the current players that made me realize that I would really love to play soccer as a General one day.

While at camp, I really got to know Coach Neil and the current players. Hearing about the team and how the season generally goes from the current players positively influenced my decision to attend W&L; I knew exactly what to expect come time to be a General myself. The training sessions all focused on specific skills, pushing every player of every caliber to their fullest, but they were still fun. Although we worked hard, no one ever complained that it was dull or unnecessary work. I truly believe I'm a better soccer player after attending W&L's camp.

Katherine Rush: Sophomore, Cornelius, NC, Camper 2010
Of all the soccer camps I have attended, the Washington and Lee camp was my favorite by far. Not only did I receive valuable coaching from enthusiastic and friendly coaches, I also got the chance to learn about what it's like to be a soccer player at W&L. Unlike other college camps, Coach Cunningham was present at almost every training session and game. He really took the time to get to know each player personally, and even took the time to sit down with every recruit to give them an honest evaluation of their skills.

I went to camp unsure of where I wanted to go to college and whether or not I wanted soccer to be a part of my college experience. I left knowing that Washington and Lee was my first choice and that playing soccer there would be a very rewarding experience.

Emily Scott: Sophomore, Port Murray, NJ, Camper 2010
Between the three camps that I attended the summer going into my senior year, Coach Cunningham's camp left me with no doubt in my mind that Washington and Lee was the place that I wanted to spend my next four years studying and playing soccer. While at camp, I was able to tour the campus with a current General, and all of my questions could either be answered by Coach Cunningham or a player.

The staff present at the camp were all knowledgeable about the game and dedicated to helping each player to develop their skills. Coach Cunningham and his players were present at every session to provide feedback to players of all ages, and they worked hard to make sure that not only was everyone learning but that they were also having fun. The dining facilities and playing fields were also great, and there was always an athletic trainer on site. I also was impressed at how Coach Cunningham sat down with every potential recruit to give them an honest opinion of their future at W&L. I would highly recommend this camp to anyone who is looking to either improve their skills or attend Washington and Lee as a student‐athlete.

Holley Beasley: Sophomore, Virginia Beach, VA, Camper 2010
I attended camp last summer because I knew Washington and Lee was one of my top choices in schools but I was having a really hard time deciding which path I wanted to take in playing college soccer. My experience at W&L soccer camp gave me exactly what I was looking for. I was able to get a feel for what it would be like to go to school and play on the soccer team there and it gave me the opportunity to really get to know the coaches and current players. At every other college soccer camp I have attended, the coaches and current players have been unreachable, and campers were lucky if they got one session in with the head coach. At Washington and Lee camp, Coach Cunningham was always around. He walked to and from the fields with us, he attended all of our scrimmages and almost all of our training sessions, and I received numerous coaching tips from him on a daily basis. Additionally, the current players made huge efforts to talk to us at meal times and during our breaks.

Washington and Lee camp is one that stands out from all the rest. If you have any interest at all in attending Washington and Lee, camp will definitely be a worthwhile week of your summer.

KJ Lancaster: Sophomore, Atlanta, GA, Camper 2010
Soccer camp at Washington and Lee was unlike any program I had previously attended. We practiced and played at a very competitive level, and continued to have a great time throughout the entire week. The coaching was completely supportive, and friendships with other players were made on and off the field. Everyone’s goal was to get better while simultaneously having fun! We also learned a lot about Washington and Lee, as well as about life as a General.

This camp helped me tremendously with the college recruiting process! I was not completely decided about playing soccer in college, but the various college coaches certainly helped support my decisions. Coach Cunningham especially showed dedication to everyone's future, as he met with each and every player on the last night–even if the only available time was at 3 AM!

I am very happy that I decided to attend W&L Camp. It is a truly great experience for all soccer players.

MAGGIE SUTHERLAND: Pittsburgh, PA, Pittsburgh Strikers
I attended four different college soccer summer camps, including the Washington and Lee University soccer camp. Of these four, only the Washington and Lee University soccer camp stands out from the rest. Although I believe my skills were improved by the excellent coaching staff and the high quality of instruction, what was particularly important to me was the attention I received as a potential W&L recruit. Coach Cunningham saw me play and develop all week.

No recruit received this attention at the other college camps that I attended. At the other camps, the head coach as well as many of the assistant coaches rarely showed up on the field. To finish the week, Coach Cunningham offered a college question-and-answer session as well as an open and honest one-on-one opportunity to all 11th grade girls to discuss our possible futures on the W&L college team. I am headed to Washington and Lee on August 26th with two of my good friends from Washington and Lee soccer camp for the start of soccer preseason. The Washington and Lee soccer camp gives every girl an opportunity to improve her skills and show her abilities. Without such a chance, I would not have been able to achieve my dream of playing soccer at a college level.

ROSALIND KLANN: Denver, CO, Colorado Rush
I came to camp to be viewed by the coach of a school that I liked and thought may be a place I wanted to apply and play soccer. However, I also wanted to get a better idea of what type of competition I would see in division III and the caliber of players who typically play at that level. I felt I received great instruction while at camp, I polished my fundamentals while learning better techniques in the future. Each drill was specifically designed to focus on an area of your game, which allowed you to perfect each skill. Usually at night the camp would hold scrimmages where you could practice all the skills you learned in camp that day.

The coaching staff was excellent, each coach was friendly and willing to focus on personal skills you may need to work on. It was very helpful to have current players on hand, especially if you are looking to play at W&L, I was able to talk to them about life at W&L and the experience of playing soccer in college. Also, it allowed me to simply meet more current students and hear their likes, dislikes, and advice with regard to making a college choice.

KIKI MOREO, Westport, CT, CFC Arsenal
I was having trouble deciding between a few schools and I wanted to be able to make an educated decision. I decided to attend the summer camp. When I arrived at camp the actual players, the coaches, and Coach Cunningham’s family all greeted me! Coach introduced himself, his wife, and his son Daniel; it made me feel comfortable. The week of camp just increased this feeling. While pushing me to play my hardest the coaches also created a fun and enjoyable atmosphere.

By the end of the week, I had a very good idea of the team's chemistry, Coach's coaching style, and how I thought I would fit in. The camp really prepared me for the college soccer process and I had fun while I was there. If you are confused about whether or not Washington and Lee University Soccer is for you, you should definitely attend the camp.

CAROLINE LAMBERTI: Oakton, VA
After my junior year of high school, I thought I wanted to play college soccer. After the 2006 Washington and Lee soccer camp, I knew that I wanted to play college soccer. Never had I received the personal interaction with coaches that I received at W&L. Camp allowed me to get a lot of touches on the ball, play in full field competitive scrimmages, concentrate on improving my weaknesses, while being instructed by a dedicated and enthusiastic coaching staff.

The camp also gave me the opportunity to tour campus with a current player and truly get a feel for what it is like to play soccer while attending college. Deciding to attend camp made my college selection process easier. I was overwhelmed by the college process but when I sat down with Coach Neil at the end of camp, I knew that W&L was my first choice and he gave me his honest opinion about my future as a potential W&L player. If you are a high school aged player considering playing college soccer, you should attend the W&L soccer camp. Even if you do not end up going to school at Washington and Lee, you will leave camp as an immensely improved soccer player.

TAYLOR GARRETT: Birmingham, AL
When I went to camp I was still trying to decide where I wanted to go to college. Camp was a great experience because I got to know some of the team members, Coach Cunningham, and the other recruits. Every day we worked on a lot of skills with a great coaching staff that made sure we were learning and improving. At night we scrimmaged to put everything into practice. Since I was missing practices with my club team I was relieved to find that the intensity at camp prepared us for game like competition. Coach Neil was always there to offer tips and he coached some of the sessions so he got to know all the players personally. The last night of camp Coach Cunningham was able to offer a question and answer session for anyone interested in the college process. He gave everyone an evaluation of her abilities and advice about the recruiting process.

I had a great time at camp and it helped me decide to come to W&L. Attending camp is the best way to show off your abilities to the coaches, and you will experience what playing soccer at W&L will be like.

ALLIE ESPINA: Gaithersburg, MD
The Washington and Lee soccer camp is a great opportunity to improve skills, learn from experienced coaches, and obtain insight on the ins and outs of the college searching process. The morning and afternoon sessions were tailored for a particular skill and taught by experienced and dedicated coaches. Scrimmages were played at the end of the day, allowing the players to practice the skills learned that day in a game‐like situation. At the end of each day, I felt like a better player than the day before due to the well‐instructed sessions.

The camp also offered advice on searching for a college that meets your interests and best fits you. W&L players lead a tour of the campus and provided input on the college experience, which helped me get a feel for the university. One of the camp's best feature was the opportunity to have a private conversation with Coach Neil about my interest in W&L and the possibility of playing in college. It is the only university camp that I have attended in which I actually believed the coach was interested in getting to know the prospective students and players. After my experience at camp, Washington and Lee moved to the top of my list of colleges.

Anyone who is interested in W&L and playing in college definitely should consider attending the camp.

PAGE MINTON, Bowling Green, KY
Before attending camp, I considered Washington and Lee one of my top choices. But after attending camp, I was certain that it was my top choice. Not only did the camp provide an environment for improving my soccer skills, it also gave me a good sense of what it would be like to play at Washington and Lee.

The warm and welcoming atmosphere of W&L camp is what makes it stand out above the rest. At other camps, you rarely see the head coach, but at the W&L camp, you are able to work with Coach Cunningham and develop a feel for his coaching style and his personality. Not only this, but Coach also sat down with each 11th grade girl to discuss their possible future at Washington and Lee and provide advice on the recruiting process.

The entire coaching staff is attentive to each player and very approachable for any questions you may have about playing college soccer. Camp is a great way to meet people, show your soccer abilities, and experience what playing soccer at W&L would be like.

KATHERYNE LAWSON: White Post, VA
I attended my fair share of soccer camps during the summers after my sophomore and junior years of high school but none of them stand out in my memory like the Washington&Lee soccer camp. At the W&L camp the players better their skills and increase their level of play as they would at most soccer camps but with an increased amount of individual attention, which is what makes the W&L camp different. Coach Cunningham and the rest of the coaching staff are at every session to help each player reach their soccer goals, whether that is to play in college or to simply learn a certain move to use in their recreational game.

Another aspect of the W&L camp that I enjoyed as a prospective W&L player was the opportunity to meet and talk with Coach Cunningham, some of the current players, and other prospective players that would eventually become my teammates. Thus the W&L camp prepares players for college soccer at Washington and Lee University both by improving their skill set and knowledge of the game and also helping them to transition into the team if the school proves to be a match for the player.

I am very happy I chose to attend the Washington and Lee soccer camp. It helped to solidify my decision that Washington and Lee University was the school for me. However, I would recommend the camp to those not planning to attend Washington and Lee University as well. You will meet some very interesting people, learn the possibilities for your future soccer career after talking with Coach, and enjoy every minute of the few days you get to spend in Lexington, Virginia.

ALEX TODD: New Orleans, LA
I decided to attend W&L's soccer camp to meet the coach, the team, and get a feel of what level of soccer I would getting myself into. The camp alone finalized my decision. Eating meals with players who had currently been on the team allowed me to hear first hand about how the soccer season ran.

Every question I had could be answered by a Lady General on the soccer team. I got to have one-on-one time talking to the coach, as well. This camp was different from any other camp I had ever been to because there were fewer girls, so more attention was aimed at each player. Coach knew my name by the first day, and he was able to tell me specifically what I needed to work on individually in order to make myself a better component to the team if I chose to attend and potentially play in the future.

The one‐on‐one interactions with Coach was the best part about the camp. Certain drills were aimed at helping the team as a whole, while after drills coach might pull you aside and tell you how you can improve even more.

It was overall the perfect combination of fun and work. Camp definitely made my college decision an easy one. I would recommend it for any player even considering playing Division III soccer. If you are not sure if you want to play yet, it is a great way to help your decision and help you see exactly how great the people you could potentially be playing for are.

I wanted to drop you a quick note to say thank you for all that you and your staff did at team camp to help my players get the most out of their time at the Washington and Lee Girls Soccer Camp. You should be very proud of your entire staff for providing such an educational, challenging, and a genuinely enjoyably experience for my team, and all of the campers.

You and your staff have been a great asset to my team as a trainer. You are in tune to all aspects of the game of soccer. You are capable of incorporating technical as well as tactical concepts in your clinics and drills. I have seen improvement in individual players' ability as well as team cohesiveness after having Neil and his staff work with my team.

You do an excellent job working with individual players. His one on one sessions with my players helped them gain their confidence in their abilities and improved their touch and awareness on the field.

I highly recommend Washington and Lee Girls Soccer Campto anyone interested in learning the game of soccer, developing as a player or coach and having fun in the process. The VAFC U15 Girls Strikers team will be back at your camp in 2006

Patrick McHugh
VAFC Travel Coach&Soccer Parent