Getting Their Kicks at Camp Dave

When the President of the United States needs a relaxing retreat, he goes to Camp David. For local kids and teens with an athletic bent, however, there’s Camp Dave. For 28 summers, soccer coach David Estes has run a youth camp that combines his first love–soccer–with other recreational activities such as fishing and hiking. Over the last 11 years, Estes’ camp has been based at Lower Temescal Park, located at the foot of Temescal Canyon Road near Pacific Coast Highway. Estes has no shortage of experience teaching soccer or working with kids. Originally from Visalia, he attended Fresno Pacific University before relocating to Los Angeles in 1981 to coach indoor and semi-pro soccer. “In 1979, I started majoring in theology,” he recalls. “I did not graduate because I followed my heart and chose soccer in L.A. Later, I was able to train and study affirmation therapy through title counseling. I became a family life coach as well as a physical education instructor.” He practiced with the L.A. Lasers of the Major Indoor Soccer League in 1982-83, but “you couldn’t make enough playing soccer so you had to work,” he says. So he began a soccer clinic and taught inner-city kids “from Long Beach to Burbank to Simi Valley” how to play the sport known internationally as “futbol.” Estes ran coaching clinics for AYSO and CYSA for 20 years, until 2005. For 23 years, he also coached the Westside Surf club team. In 1993-94, he worked with the Los Angeles Galaxy as a technical director “setting up the formation and the rhythm” at a time when Alexi Lalas was making headlines with the Galaxy and the U.S. national team, which lost to Brazil in the round of 16 at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. “Back in the 1990s I was referred to as a ‘Sports Mechanic’ since I was able to teach almost any sport,” Estes explains. “I liked that nickname because it best described what I do with my understanding of body mechanics. I am able to mimic and teach exactly what the pros can do and show how body mechanics overlap from one sport to another. I never tire of games, nor do I ever lose my love of teaching.” “Over the years I’ve taught P.E. or soccer at Palisades High [girls team, 1984], Marquez Elementary [P.E. coach, 1998] and Paul Revere [boys, 2003],” he continues. “I ran YMCA basketball and soccer programs in the Palisades for four years. I also ran Rustic Canyon soccer and baseball Programs for two years.” Coaching AYSO girls U16, Estes led his team to the Regionals in 1988. If he has a hard time remembering the exact year, it’s forgivable considering “I’ve coached well over 3,500 games and, within that, you have all these different levels.” Estes has led teams to the sectionals several times. In 2003, Estes ran a clinic attended by the Rattlers, a local boys’ U12 squad coached by Palisadians Bill Barnum and Chuck Davis coached that team, which went 61-2-4. Of the 16 players on that team, five are now playing sports in college. Alex Pack and Jimmy Carter are soccer players at their respective schools (Union and Earlham) while two others play football and one plays lacrosse. “Dave has developed a whole generation of Palisadian kids to love and excel at soccer, in that order,” Davis says. “His passion, enthusiasm, and encouragement helped ramp many players passion for soccer during critical growing years. And his alumni remember what he taught them about soccer and life.” Estes admits that when a Lalas or a David Beckham enlarge soccer’s footprint in America, he sees a spike in interest and enrollment. On the other hand, he says, “Here in the Palisades, it’s always been really strong. People who organize and love to volunteer are always there. Some of these guys who referee and coach have been doing this for 20 years.” A Brentwood resident, Estes teaches an average of 20 kids a summer, many from parts of Europe, Malaysia and Singapore. “Some of them have been coming for more than 10 years,” he says. Camps go from 1-6 p.m. and often include trips to the beach for a swim or a game of sand soccer. The last hour of camp usually consists of a scrimmage including kids of all ages. Estes sometimes takes the teenagers backpacking for a week in the Sierra Nevadas or takes the younger children fishing for a day at Santa Monica Beach. “I like the beaches,” says 13-year-old camper Clay Blakely. “We all have a great time playing. I’m working on improving my shooting.” “All of my friends come here,” says 14-year-old Cavalry Christian School student John Stapke, who has been attending Camp Dave for three years and intends to play soccer in high school. “Camp Dave helps me develop my skills. When someone makes a mistake, he points it out but in the end, he helps us fix it.” Seven-year-old Alex Button (a.k.a. “Ruff ‘n’ Stuff”) has attended Camp Dave for four years. “The best part about it is meeting friends,” she says. Her 9-year-old sister Ava also attends. “The girls get to use power and the guys can use their fancy stuff without worrying about being [ridiculed],” Estes says. “He’s like a kid on summer vacation,” notes local Bruce Hulse, whose 13-year-old son Cade is one of Estes’ pupils. The Palisades resident jokes that there’s “Summer Dave” and then there’s “Winter Dave.” Estes confirms that he adjusts his coaching to fit the season: “I consider the fall/winter the time for very intense workouts, because this is the competitive time of the year.” “Summer is for having fun and developing a playful disposition. We set things up so that every kids succeeds,” Estes says. “Everybody leaves the day they feel like they’re a winner. They enjoy a great summer day.” Estes has his share of memories teaching soccer at the park: “One day, we were sitting here and this deer came in. I had a yellow rope and the deer ran in and grabbed the rope and he kept going out toward the ocean. So I had to go and get the rope back!” The kids provide Estes’ best memories. In fact, there is no place he would rather be than teaching at his park in Pacific Palisades. “A lot of people call this my office,” he says. “I’ve got the greatest office in the world. I’ve got the view, I’ve got a great garden, I’ve got air conditioning, no computers and no phones.” Camp David will be in session from June 17 through September 3, and athletes ages 6 -16 (any level) are welcome to join the soccer camp at any point during the summer season. Contact: (310) 466-2253; visit CoachDavidEstes.com. michael@palipost.com