After a hard-fought NISA final that saw the Michigan Stars crowned champions thanks to a 1-0 victory over Albion San Diego, Stars midfielder Cyrus Tran and Albion team manager Kohki Ohsumi have joined forces once again to bring a soccer academy this winter.

MIA Elite Academy, which was co-founded by Tran and Ohsumi in 2021, will be holding a three-day soccer clinic at Kapiolani Park in Honolulu, Hawaii starting on Dec. 22 with the goal of not only developing technical skills among kids but also the fundamentals of being successful on and off the pitch.

“I met Kohki last year when I was trying out for San Diego 1904 FC and we stayed in touch after that,” said Tran. “Building individual skills is the main focus of MIA Elite Academy such as one on one defending and attacking.”

The academy had two camps in 2021 also held in Hawaii with each getting higher than expected attendance prompting the third camp to be held at the end of this year. This coming camp will also include a Christmas party on the second day at a popular Japanese restaurant on the island.

“There was a lot of energy and we had a lot of fun,” Tran added. “I saw a lot of players smiling and then we finished with the tournaments. The second day is always more fun with a lot of exciting things.”

Before winning the NISA title with Michigan, Tran played at the UPSL and NPSL level with FC Arizona being selected among the West Region Best 11 players for the 2020 season. As for Ohsumi, he has an extensive resume as both player and in the front office which includes managing the San Diego Zest of USL League 2 from 2016 to 2019, San Diego 1904 FC from 2019 to 2021, and Albion San Diego from 2021 to present.

“I believe that sports connect people and that’s what we would like our winter camp to do as well,” said Ohsumi. “I hope kids can make new friends and learn from each other both off and on the field.”

For more information on the MIA Elite Academy Winter Camp, visit miaeliteacademy.com.

Photo courtesy: MIA Elite Academy