Judge Memorial Catholic High School student chosen for national soccer team

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SALT LAKE CITY — Judge Memorial Catholic High School freshman Cameron Martin, 14, has been named to US Youth Soccer’s Olympic Development Program’s National Team for the 2008 age group. Cameron is just one of 18 soccer players on the team and the only player in his age group from Utah. In April he will compete with his team as an attacking midfielder in the Dallas Cup.

The program (which is not affiliated with the Olympics) works to “identify and provide opportunities for high potential players, facilitate their development, expose them to the next level of their chosen pathway and motivate their pursuit of excellence,” according to the US Youth Soccer website.

Cameron began playing soccer at the age of 3 and joined competitive leagues when he was 8. It was around age 10 that he became serious about the game and knew that he wanted a future in the sport, he said, so for the past four years soccer has been a large part of Cameron’s life. He practices two to three days a week with his team and an additional couple of days on his own during the spring and summer.

“It doesn’t stress me out ever; it doesn’t talk back, it doesn’t give me any tasks,” he said of the sport. “I just get to do what I like to do.”

He started out playing with club team Forza before moving two years later to Metasport when that club was formed by his longtime coach Clay Holbrook and his stepfather Britain Thomas. Holbrook coached Cameron for three years; this past year Thomas took over that responsibility. Cameron plays several positions, but his favorite is attacking midspot.

“Cam has got a lot of energy; he’s got a lot of intensity,” Thomas said. “He’s actually very fun to watch – he’s all over the place. He’s a good ball winner and he gets things moving forward into attack and can be pretty dangerous in front of goal.”

This past year Cameron played on two teams: 2008 and 2007 (referring to the year players were born), where he scored 26 goals this season and 13 assists. Both teams ended up promoting a division, Thomas said.

Cameron plans to try out for the Judge Memorial CHS soccer team and has high hopes that he will make the team. He will take a few days off to compete in the Dallas Cup before throwing himself into the Judge team if he is chosen for a berth. Cameron hopes to be able to continue to play soccer in college and to play professionally for an overseas team. He would also like to become a coach after his professional career.

He attributes much of his success to Holbrook, his former coach. On Jan. 30 the family was devastated to learn that Holbrook had passed away unexpectedly.

“Clay was like a family member; I would not be where I am emotionally or as a soccer player without him,” he said. “Clay made the biggest impacts without having to do anything. He helped me emotionally; he helped me be a man. He helped me through tough situations. He helped me with everything I am today and everything that I hope to become.”