Girls-only soccer camp gives young players space to grow in Beaconsfield

She Kicks summer camp aims to improve soccer skills.

“She Kicks” is a girls-only soccer camp in Beaconsfield, Que. The two head coaches are both professionals and say co-ed sports camps aren’t always on a level playing field.

Eighteen girls aged 8 to 12 years old are playing and screaming with joy when they score in their mini Euro Cup recreation. They’re also learning footwork, agility and passing in a fun way.

Angeline Chevrier is one of the head coaches and says she never had a female head coach in her soccer career. She wants this camp to be a place for the young players to grow their skills in a female-focused environment.

“Growing up, for me, playing professional soccer was not even an option. So this gives them the opportunity to look at, look up and know that I can play professional soccer in my own country and they have women to look up to. And I think that’s the biggest thing to keep these girls in sports,” says Chevrier.

Making friends and building confidence is part of the game plan at She Kicks.

Ten-year-old Sofia Kavaldjian says, “I went to a lot of boy camps and sometimes they would laugh at me because I’m not as good as them, but honestly at a girls camp, I could fall on my face and they won’t laugh at me because they understand.”

Eleven-year-old Jessica Gregoire adds, “It’s very fun because you meet new girls and you get to play soccer with them.”

The players work hard and get to push their limits. Emily Gekeler says, “We don’t need those boys that might be not passing to us or not playing with us as fair. And also, it’s more fun when you’re more with girls, because then you feel more comfortable.”

And Yasmine Houhou adds, “Girls mostly encourage more than boys. And I think it’s very well, I love it so much.”

The camp has special guests each week—role models for the young players. Originally from Dollard-des-Ormeaux and now playing with The Roses FC, Stephanie Hill says she’s “spoiled” to be a part of something she would have loved when she was younger.

“It’s incredible that we get to be a part of this great project and have a couple of girls be able to look at you and have some smiles and have some hope.”

Joy Zeeman is also a head coach at the camp. She used to play in the Lakeshore Soccer League and now plays NCAA Division 1.

She wants these young players to know there’s a place for them in the most popular sport in the world.

“Just knowing that they’re passionate about soccer and they, you know, want to play professional. They want to play in the States, they want to go overseas. They want to play for their high school team. We’re here to support all of that.”