Jul. 28—GENEVA — A soccer camp designed to honor former Geneva soccer player Mike Mikulin draws the community together every year.

The four-day camp ended on Thursday evening with 70 players participating, said Katie Carter who runs the camp with Scott Carley, an assistant coach for the Geneva High School boys team.

"This year between donors and camp fees we were able to give $2,400 to the Mike Mikulin Scholarship Fund," Carter said. "The donations from private individuals, as well as businesses, has been integral in making sure the resources are there to make sure Paul and Patti Mikulin are able to present two scholarships each spring to a deserving male and female soccer player."

Mikulin died in a car crash on Thanksgiving Day 2006 and a local soccer league was formed the following year and the camp was started in 2011, Carter said.

Haley Vennis and Stefan Lechintan received $1,000 scholarships this year.

Alex Lechintan, Stafan's older brother, received one of the scholarships in 2019 and attended Cleveland State University.

"It means a lot to be honored and thought of and [have the scholarship] in memory of Mike," Alex Lechintan said.

The Lechintan family worked to grow the game of soccer with the Mikulin family.

"My parents worked with the Mikulins to start the league," Alex Lechintan said.

Alex Lechintan said he played club soccer at CSU, where he graduated this spring.

He drove from Cleveland each day to help coach the young players.

Alex Lechintan said he loves coaching young players.

Carter said the camp can't run without the help of the counselors who are donating their time to give back to the community.

"They were once campers, then moved onto the counselors, and eventually played for the high school teams," she said. "Several of the counselors have graduated from high school and still return to help.

"Behind the scenes is Ron Carter, who does all the clean up, bringing water and supplying the most important part of the camp — the popsicles. I can't say enough about the campers, parents, counselors and donors to keep this camp successful each year."

The camp teaches young players the fundamentals of the and develops relationships between the older players and the youngsters.

"These kids have graduated and they come back," Carter said. She said the Mikulin parents were at the camp every day last week.

The league has grown over the years and a travel team was added to the Geneva Recreation League.

Kids could participate in the spirit days, such

as crazy hair/hat day, crazy sock or mismatch day, and favorite jersey day.

"Their creativity is fun to see," Carter said. "We love seeing the kids excited about soccer and watching them laughing and smiling while playing the game Mike Mikulin loved is the perfect way to keep Mike's memory."