Atascadero High School soccer program raises big money with hot dog barbecue 

The groups’s good attitude and warm smiles were a big contribution to the fund-raiser’s success.

–With the Atascadero High School soccer season just around the corner, the new team is starting to reach out to the community for support of their athletic boosters. Last Saturday, parents, friends, and players of the team put on a hot dog barbecue outside Miner’s hardware store. With the hot dogs selling at just $1.00 each, other items selling for similar bargain prices, and kind donors sporadically giving large donations to the team, the profits quickly rose to $885.

The group began setting up around 9 a.m. that morning, planning on selling hot dogs until around 3 p.m. in the afternoon. As the hours ticked on they kept their energy high, dancing with signs beside the street and making up catchphrases to entice potential buyers. Whatever the case, the team managed to get droves of hungry people to buy their barbecue. Miner’s in Atascadero has supported many local fund-raisers, allowing each cause to keep 100-percent of all profits. They even donated enough money for the team to buy hot dogs, condiments, or whatever else they needed.

Both friends and teammates alike helped to raise awareness for their cause as they stood out in the sun waving signs and shouting to cars passing by.

A large profit was what the team needed this year, considering the size the program has grown to this year alone. Interest in the program has risen in underclassmen especially. This is due, possibly, to the rapid development the program has undergone in recent years with organizations like AYSO and others like it. Third year coaches JT Camp, Garry Setting, and Tony Garza have made sure to place their focus in training on the fundamentals of the game, as well as good tactical play. “The freshmen are learning the differences between playing for a high school team and playing for other teams in years before. Some of these differences being stemmed from the tension in the competitive environment,” Camp said. Camp hopes to have the team excel in their conditioning, as well as both tactical and physical play. While these focuses serve as education for the rookie players, the Juniors and Seniors are taking this time as an opportunity to act as mentors, setting the bar of expectations for the underclassmen to meet. “We have a strong group of returning Seniors, as well as Juniors, who are getting much stronger.” said Camp.

Coach Camp has set goals for the team to win closer scoring games that could have or should have been wins instead of ties or losses. However, seeing the team as it is now, his goals may be more a reality than a possibility. “We’ve got a lot of talent, a lot of strong kids, and a lot of kids who want to represent their high school and town…they just have to put plays together and find success where they can,” said Camp. The AHS soccer looks forward to conditioning in mid-October and starting their season in mid-November.

Miner’s was kind enough to have set up an awning and tables for the team to keep cool while they worked hard selling hot dogs.

About the author: News Staff

News staff of the A-Town Daily News wrote and edited this article from local contributors and press releases. Scott Brennan is the publisher of this newspaper and founder of Access Publishing. Connect with him on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, or follow his blog. He can be reached at [email protected].