Reprinted from The Diagonal Vol. 5, No. 1, (May 1998)

Why Attend Golden Gate Camp?

Section 2's Golden Gate Camp is one of very few AYSO Super Camps. It is held each year in July (was Friday noon July 17th through Sunday noon July 19th, in 1998) at Saint Mary's College in Moraga, California. And the cost was the same in 1998 as it was in 1995 - room, board, materials and instruction for $150.00 per student.

The characteristics which differentiate a Super Camp from regularly held Referee and Coach instructional programs are the residential environment of a beautiful college campus, the compact intensity of the courses, the quality of the instruction, and the camaraderie which is created among peers at the top of their personal "games". Classmates run into each other in the months and years after Golden Gate Camp. The Camp creates a bond of respect and appreciation for individuals' skills out of the shared learning experience.

According to 1998 Golden Gate Camp Director Brent Morrison, this year's camp includes an expanded Coaching curriculum headed up by Section 2 Coach Administrator, George Richardson and Ron Cordonnier, Area D Coach Administrator. The Referee curriculum, led by Section 2 Director of Instruction Roy Levin includes National 1 (the only National 1 course given in Section 2 this year), National 2, and Section Certification courses. The Basic Referee Instructor Program which was offered in former years is being replaced by parts of the recently introduced Unified Instructor Program. The new program is being phased in over the next few years, but this camp will offer the opportunity for experienced referees to become certified instructors and extend their instructional skills and scope beyond that attained from the basic Regional Teacher Course offered at the recent Section Annual General Meeting. Experienced referees who wish to become instructors so that they can enjoy the challenges and rewards of instructing fellow referees in their Region should participate.

Why should a Region or an Area want to send someone to Golden Gate Camp? The answer is simple. Referees and Coaches trained at the GGC are part of the Region's effort to strengthen their program. Regions send candidates for advancement to Golden Gate to increase the proficiency of their refereeing and coaching, all for the benefit of the kids. At the camp, they work with Section 2's best referee and coach instrutors to sharpen their skills and develop new ones.

Ask your Regional Referee Administrator or your Regional Commissioner for details on how you can attend. Each Region should have Coach and Referee attendees at Golden Gate Camp - it builds the fabric of the Region's program! Attend and grow your skills.

Last updated 3 September 98 Palo Alto AYSO Referee pages Copyright © 1998 AYSO Section 2