Davison players benefit from top-ranked collegiate program

By Lisa Paine
INDEX Sports Editor

DAVISON — A chance meeting six years ago brought one of the top Div. 1 women’s soccer programs to Davison High for the second annual week-long camp last week.

Tim Elkins, Davison’s middle school soccer coach, had attended the Central Michigan University resident soccer camp where he met current women’s coach Tony DiTucci. Elkins said three years ago that several other girls talked about wanting to attend, but noted they couldn’t afford to. Last year, parents broached the idea of bringing a day camp to the school, and Elkins contacted DiTucci.

“This is the second year for the day camp, and next year we hope to expand it to include the boys and promote it to the other areas for attendance and get more kids involved,” Elkins added.

Elkins couldn’t have stumbled across a better program. DiTucci has turned CMU’s program into one of the preeminent Mid-American Conference squads, academically and athletically. CMU is the only school to qualify for the MAC tournament in each of the last eight years, and the team is ranked No. 1 with the highest GPA nationally for the third year running. Last year, his squad was undefeated at 7-0, beating Michigan State and No. 17 nationally-ranked Nebraska. DiTucci’s resume includes coaching the Rochester Jr. Rhinos (1998-2003), Finger Lakes Community College (2000-01), NYSW Am Select head coach (2001, 2003), CMU grad assistant 2002, and CMU assistant coach (2003). He has a 30-22-8 career NCAA record.

“Tim brought us here because he had come up to our camp a few years back and thought it was a really positive experience. So, in an effort to try to be able to reach more people and more affordably rather than coming up and spending the night, we were able to put together a day camp here to get more people involved, and that’s the ultimate goal,” DiTucci said.

DiTucci brought one of his new assistant coaches, Ashley Carter, a standout from UNC-Ashville and coach at Div. 3 Vassar, to help out.

“What we hope to bring the girls here is obviously the technical development, and ideas tactically for how to play the game more intelligently. Most of our goal is to have them be in an environment where they are having fun and also learning to be competitive in every activity we do and strive to try to win and do well in each as well,” DiTucci said.

“Money and times are hard. Our four-day residential camp costs $380, but it’s still the least expensive college camp in Michigan. The camp at Davison costs $145. We do many of the same things, just without the overnight stay and costs.”

Campers were put to the test in mini-scrimmages and challenge drills in near 90-degree temps. The pace was quicker than what they are used to at the high school level, and could give them the added edge in their upcoming seasons.

“I’ve seen lots of progress, technically especially. Just in touching the ball, getting experience and their development. The biggest thing is that they are competing and having fun,” DiTucci said. “That’s a big part of the culture of our program. Part of that is due to the talented student athletes we bring in like Davison’s Abby Bellamy.”

Tomorrow, many of the campers will join Elkins to watch DiTucci’s Kalamazoo Outrage to pick up more pointers.

“It’s good for the girls to see the next level, the faster, more organized game,” Elkins noted.
The Kalamazoo Outrage was the camp’s Gold Sponsor. Other sponsors included Covert’s Crew Construction, The Elkins Agency and K & C’s Special T’s.