The Penticton Pinnacles Football Club has attracted Irish soccer royalty to Penticton and more than 140 young soccer players have signed up to benefit from Steve Staunton’s expertise.
Staunton, 56, arrived in Penticton this past weekend and is running the inaugural Steve Staunton Summer Camp. The camp began Monday and continues through Thursday at King’s Park in Penticton, where just over 140 young soccer players have signed up to learn from one of Ireland’s biggest soccer heroes.
Not only did Staunton play almost 500 games in the English Premier League with iconic franchises Liverpool Football Club and Aston Villa Football Club, but he also represented Ireland the only three times they have ever qualified for the World Cup of Soccer back in 1990, 1994 and 2002.
He went on to coach Ireland’s national team and is the most capped player in Irish history, playing just over 100 games for his national team.
Besides playing for Liverpool and Aston Villa, Staunton also played in England for Crystal Palace, Coventry City and Walsall.
Taking a lunch break after the first morning session at his summer camp in Penticton, Staunton said he was thrilled to be in Canada for the first time and he was amazed at the natural beauty and hot weather in Penticton.
“It’s my first time in Canada and I have to tell you I’m very impressed,” said the gregarious Irishman. “We’ve had a lovely few days since we arrived. The weather is amazing, the scenery is world class. I had the good fortune to enjoy a game of golf on the weekend.
“We sampled a little bit of wine at a couple of the local wineries, so we’re having a great time. My wife is also very impressed and we’re really enjoying ourselves.”
Staunton was a key member of Ireland’s national team from 1988 until 2002.
“I hung up my international jersey at the end of the World Cup in 2002,” he said. “We were very unlucky at that tournament. We got knocked out in penalties by Spain, who were arguably the favourites in the entire World Cup.
“We would easily have gone through and who knows what might have happened. But it wasn’t meant to be. It was just a great experience and something I’ll never forget. Ireland has only made the World Cup three times in their history and I’m very proud to say I was involved in every single game they played at the World Cup. That’s the biggest source of pride in my career as it’s such an honour to represent your country on the biggest stage in the world.”
Staunton played numerous positions throughout his career, but was a centre back during his prime years in the English Premier League and on Ireland’s national squad.
While soccer is, by far, the most popular sport in virtually every European country, that’s not necessarily the case in Ireland as Gaelic sports such as hurling, Gaelic football, handball and rounders are all incredibly popular.
“I grew up playing the Gaelic sports, with not much interest in soccer at all,” he said. “My father was a Gaelic man from County Mayo. I loved Gaelic sports as much as soccer, if not more, and still do.
“But there comes a stage when I realized my real goal was to play professional soccer in England and play in an FA Cup final. To be able to play for my boyhood club that I grew up idolizing in Liverpool, was just amazing. Then I got the chance to play for another top squad in Aston Villa, so it all turned out great.”
Like millions of Canadians children who put on their first pair of skates at ages three and four, Staunton said he grew up in rural Ireland playing rugby, soccer and Gaelic sports from the time he was a little boy.
Being able to play professional soccer for 19 years and then coach for several more has been a blessing, said Staunton.
He got the invitation to run the summer soccer camp in Penticton, by Pinnacles board member Adam Terheege, who is best friends with Staunton’s stepson.
Terheege contacted him about six months ago, he and his wife had always wanted to visit Canada and everything came together in a matter of weeks, said Staunton.
“A few months ago, he hinted he wanted me to come over for a summer camp,” he said. “The thing was myself and the missus had really wanted to come to Canada and when he asked us six months or so ago, we went why not.
“We were really happy to finally be able to make it here and running this soccer camp just made it something special.”
The key to keeping kids interested at a camp like this is to make things fun, said Staunton.
“You gotta make it fun,” he said. “You can have them doing skills and training, but you also have to let them play games. In the morning, we concentrate on technique and little drills and in the afternoon, it’s all games.
Staunton and his wife are going to end their trip to Canada enjoying all Vancouver has to offer for almost a week.
Andrew Stevenson, the newly-hired technical director with PFC, said being able to attract an international star player and coach like Staunton to run a summer camp in Penticton is a feather in the organization’s cap.
“It’s unbelievable to get a man with over 400 Premier League appearances, three World Cup appearances, World Cup knockout stages with Ireland is incredible,” Stevenson said. “His experience is certainly unique in this part of the world.
“We feel privileged that we’re being able to give our kids in this community a chance from a great Premier League player and national hero in Ireland.”
He’s hopeful Staunton will be open to returning again to run a similar camp in the future, said Stevenson.
