“When a player is on the soccer field, you are asking them to be a warrior. But you can use the same skill-set to be a warrior for Christ,” asserted Soave. That skill-set includes hard work, diligence, and perseverance.
“It doesn’t always feel good to be faithful, and it’s the same with sports. It requires diligence. It requires a choice, even when you don’t feel like doing it.” This, says Soave, is a manifestation of faith in action.
If your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, then training your body virtuously and competing virtuously is significant, said the founder of Catholic Soccer Camps. Role models who embody this virtue of faith in action are important for showing young people that, “you can utilize your body to glorify the Lord.”
The coaches and role models for the camp are firm in their faith and accomplished soccer veterans.
Soave, himself a former high-school all-American and NCAA division I player, is bringing in two devout Catholics and professional coaches from Italy – Massimo Carli and Luigi Dusatti.
Soave founded the camp four years ago when he was the head coach of Franciscan University of Steubenville’s varsity soccer team. He saw how devout his players were in their faith and how strong their soccer skills were on the field. He said he wanted to “export” that possibility to more people.