Keeping Kearny’s strong soccer tradition alive

Photo by Jim Hague/Some of the campers go through their skills sessions during the Kearny Youth Soccer Camp at Kearny High School last week.

Hundreds of youngsters participate in youth soccer camp

By Jim Hague

Kearny isn’t called “Soccertown, USA” for nothing.
Sure, it got the famous moniker because World Cup soccer standouts Tony Meola, John Harkes and Tab Ramos all hailed from the town.
But Kearny was a soccer hotbed long before the trio of Team USA teammates got together to represent their country and their hometown in the World Cup. And it will continue to remain a soccer haven even though all three have retired from competition.
Need proof? Well, all you had to do was pass by the Kearny High School athletic field any day last week — and this week for that matter — and see the hundred or so youngsters participate in the Kearny Youth Soccer Camp.
Kearny High School boys’ soccer head coach Bill Galka presided over the two weeks of camp, two different sessions. It’s a camp that began when current athletic director John Millar was the head coach and has continued on through Galka’s tenure.

To read the full story, see this week’s issue of The Observer.

Learn more about the writer ...