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MORGAN HILL -- His formal name is Bhavish Thakrar, but the Londoner is known as coach Bhav to most people in Morgan Hill, especially soccer-loving kids between the ages of 4 and 14.

 

Coach Bhav and his blokes from West Coast Coaching meet a new batch of them each summer when their tour of WCC Soccer Camps comes to P.A. Walsh Elementary School. Most of the time, you can easily pick out coach Bhav amid the scores of scampering brightly dressed campers; he's the biggest kid of all.

For one reporter, though, coach Bhav was tough to spot at first Friday. He was off in the shade tying one of his camper's cleats.

"We teach them about more than just soccer," Bhav said while performing a loop, swoop and pull for 6-year-old Steven Rosenberger. "All right, 'Muscles,' go join your teammates."

Ryan Matarangas, left, and Jax Ulbrich work on their dribbling during a warm-up drill before the start of Friday's session of the West Coast Coaching Camp at P.A. Elementary School. Photo by: Lora Schraft

From left, Chloe Barraza, Jurnie Schilling, Natalie Ahmadzaden and Sammy Ulbrich celebrate their team's goal during a tournament at the West Coast Coaching Camp Photo by: Lora Schraft

Coach Bhav, 32, has a nickname for every one of his 300 campers. Even some of his assistants, who are certified professional coaches in England, get a handle. Muscles was back on the field a minute later to take part in a six-game tournament shepherded by coaches Ben Starkie and Gary "Goose" Mardle, whom coach Bhav said is a dead ringer for Anthony Edwards circa Top Gun.

"My coaches love working with kids. We do it for a living," said Thakrar, a licensed coach who has a master's degree in education. "We don't look out like baby sitters. We like to get out there and participate with the kids."

It is a tough task, considering the ratio of campers to coaches is 100-to-1. Coach Bhav and his staff do a remarkable job, though, which is the main reason why WCC was named one of the top five most responsible companies in the U.S. by Liberty Mutual a year ago -- and why the WCC's Orchard Valley Youth Soccer League-sponsored camps have been so popular.

"She never stops talking about soccer when she comes home," Alicia Ahmadzadeh said of her 7-year-old daughter, Natalie. "She has a great time with the coaches. They make jokes, but they also help the kids improve."

Recession has only slightly affected the turnout. Admission to one of the weeklong camps included a T-shirt and graduation gifts.

"Obviously, soccer camp isn't a necessity in people's lives right now," Thakrar said. "We keep our price as reasonable as possible."

Coach Bhav runs a rigid, but fun, schedule. He keeps his campers in perpetual motion by breaking up drills and games into small groups based on skill level.

"We get maximum participation -- maximum -- from everyone that signs up no matter what their ability is, and we have a mixed bag of ability.

"The kids all want to touch the ball, so we put them into as many small games as we can. We try to give them a thousand touches a day."

That results in plenty of goals and plenty of smiles.

"The best part is playing with your friends," said Jax Ulbrich, 5, who attended the camp with his 8-year-old sister, Sammy. Morgan Hill residents can probably guess whom their father is (Hint: He plays linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers).

Coach Bhav, who is a member of the Positive Coaching Alliance, teaches more than just the beautiful game. He and his staff encourage healthy lifestyles such as valuing good nutrition and a strong work ethic. They even hand out light homework assignments to keep the kids' minds engaged.

The same methods worked for the coaches.

"When I was younger, I had a fantastic soccer coach who got passion into me," Mardle, a 22-year-old London native, said. "When he used to say to me I sometimes use with the children.

"(Bhav) is great with the kids. I jumped at the chance to join him. The most rewarding part is seeing the kids smile and say 'thank you, coach.' "

"We keep our program quite small because we want it to be unique," Thakrar said. "The camp is about more than soccer. It's about learning to respect yourself and others as well. We truly give them life lessons -- and I'll show you in a minute."

With a charming accent, coach Bhav asked his campers to gather around.

"What do we do when our opponent trips and falls?" he asked.

Campers: "We pick them up."

"And what do we do when the referee makes a call we don't particularly care for? Why do we not get mad?"

Campers: "It's important to respect others."

The best camps are the ones you don't want to leave. As much fun as Friday's session was, it played out with lingering sadness. Friday was graduation day.

"I've got good news and bad news," coach Bhav said to his campers. "The bad news is, this is the last day of camp."

The gallery groaned.

"The good news is, we have one tournament left!"

The gallery cheered.

Coach Bhav had another spectacle in store as well. The afternoon ended with the campers joining their parents for drills and games.

Perhaps Sammy Ulbrich summed up the experience best.

"I don't like soccer, but I love this camp."