Why Small Businesses Matter: Packer Soccer Camp

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Why Small Businesses Matter

Shop small, do big things for your community

Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community. The shop local movement spreads virally as local businesses who are “tagged” have the opportunity to share their story!

You're IT Packer Soccer Camp!

Three questions with Dick Packer, owner and founder of Packer Soccer Camp.

Why did you start your business?

As my friend, Peter Gogolak, and I rode the commuter train on a daily basis in the 1970’s, our conversations often revolved around our shared passion for soccer. It’s a game that I had played since age six and continued to participate in even after college, with the incredible honor to be selected for the 1956 U.S. Men’s National Team that went to Melbourne Olympics. Some of my fondest memories are from my playing days, including the people I’ve met and the places that I traveled to with the sport.  Peter is accredited for introducing soccer styling kicking to the game of football, first at Cornell University and later for the Buffalo Bills and NY Giants, having played soccer while growing up in Hungary. With the influx of international stars like Pele, George Best and Giorgio Chinaglia joining the North American Soccer League during the 70’s, Peter and I thought that there was a need to cultivate some home-grown talent, a grassroots program to feed the both the college and the professional teams, with soccer’s popularity on the rise in the U.S. at the time. So, in 1978 we launched the camp and had over 300 kids signed up for the first two weeks. We went on to host camps in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania as well over the years, although we eventually scaled back and currently hold the program solely in Rowayton, CT.

What is your best-selling product/service?

Our philosophy is that soccer should be FUN and our motto has always been, “kicks for the fun of it!” We offer competitions such as a World Cup Tournament, and juggling, shooting and dribbling competitions, but we also weave in some creative fun, such as a decorate your soccer ball contest and host a Staff Talent Show. In today’s world where kids are being encouraged to specialize in one sport, we try to offer a balance of competition and teaching technique, with good old-fashioned summer camp fun! And we continue to evolve, over four decades later, adding to our camp for ages 5-11, our popular Grasshoppers Program (ages 3 & 4) in 2009 and Packer Premier in 2017 (ages 12-14), geared for travel soccer players.

How many people do you employ? Any youths or seniors from the community?

We have about 25 total on staff –  Shawn Chase, our Director; plus, Coaches, Assistant Coaches, CIT’S (Coaches in Training), an Athletic Trainer and an office staff of Lisa Anderson and Joan Brusven, both mothers of former campers and coaches. And many of our Coaches and CIT’s are former campers, now in high school, college and beyond, some who teach school, coach and play soccer during the school year, including Mike Surace, who runs our Premier Program and also coaches the Norwalk High School Girls Varsity Team.

Packer Soccer Camp is located at 43 Pine Point Road, Rowayton. Visit them online here. You can reach them by phone (203) 866-4830 or email packersoccer1@gmail.com.

Packer Soccer Camp tags SoccerViza Football Club, based in Norwalk. Packer Soccer Camp remarks, "They believe that the values learned on the field (discipline, respect for peers, etc.) are invaluable to experience off the field. At Packer Soccer Camps, we couldn’t agree more with their philosophy!"

HamletHub thanks Fairfield County Bank for making our Why Small Businesses Matter series possible!

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Submitted by Norwalk, CT

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