USA Stars back on the field

The USA Stars Soccer Academy is back at work training their soccer players after a three-month break because of the pandemic. The academy began skills training on June 23 after they got the go-ahead from El Dorado County that they could return to the pitch; not without conditions, however. Social distancing, a term that's become a part of everyday life, is practiced at the workouts. Players cannot touch the soccer balls with their hands nor can they use their heads. All the coaches wear masks and players must wear a mask from the car to the field and back. Parents check their child's temperature at home and if it's too high, and/or if their kid doesn't feel well, they're told to stay home. These restrictions have not hindered attendance. After three months of primarily staying at home, the kids are enjoying the time at soccer practice. Different groups of players come and go from throughout the day, as the entire club of 200 works out every Tuesday through Thursday at Marina Village Middle School. All total, workouts go from 8 a.m. to as late as 1 p.m. and there are other workouts in the evening for some. "We're providing a workout in a safely distanced training environment," said Founder and Academy Director AJ Utush. "There is no team stuff right now, and we don't know when we'll play a soccer game again, but right now it's just individual training in a group setting." Having to train while practicing social distancing is not difficult, as the academy is blessed with a lot of space at Marina Village Middle School. Even with 50 players training at once, there is plenty of room. The workouts are voluntary, but most of the club members have attended them, showing both dedication and desire. "The kids are loving it," said Rashid Utush, Director of Coaching. "Even though we can't have them doing everything, they just love being out here. It's a simpler time and they have an appreciation for it. This is training; there are no games being played. We're just training in a safe and responsible way." When asked if they were having a good time training, a group of 10 girls all responded with a resounding 'yes.' The girls agreed that the coaches do a good job of keeping the training interesting. The Utush brothers coach along with AJ's daughter, Aliyah, the academy's youth coordinator, Alexis Wallace, the Grassroots girls' coach, and Jeff Soares, the Academy President. A total of 10 coaches are at the trainings on any given day. Despite the restrictions on what the players could do, the Utush brothers said good things are getting accomplished with the training. "It's effective in that it's a social outlet for the kids to enjoy themselves," Rashid said. "They're not caged in like they had been for a few months. It's important for the mental aspect. I see lots of smiles out here. The kids are outside and enjoying themselves. I also get a lot of nice e-mails from parents." Added AJ, "The kids are outside exercising and we're guiding them. They really missed playing soccer and this is bringing some normalcy back." The soccer players are being trained, largely, on ball skills, fitness and technical work. The Utush brothers, soon entering their ninth year of running their academy, are pleased with the academy's retention during this pandemic. "We've got 90 percent retention, and that's impressive in any regard let alone during a pandemic," AJ said. "It's our first time going through one of those," he said jokingly. The brothers also acknowledged El Dorado Hills and the Community Services District. "We can't say enough good things about them," AJ said. "They've been very supportive." For more information on USA Stars, go to usastarsacademy.org.