Former IU midfielder Tanner Thompson is off and running with his pro career after four successful years with the IU men’s soccer program.
Thompson, a midfielder for Indy Eleven of the North American Soccer League, is now looking to spread his knowledge of the game of soccer. Tanner, along with his brother Tommy, have started ‘TT Skillz Soccer Camps,’ aimed at teaching the “beautiful game” to kids who will make up the next generation of soccer in America.
The inaugural camp will partner with the Noblesville United Soccer Club and will last two days on Thursday, July 27 and Friday, July 28 in Noblesville, Indiana, from 5 to 8 p.m. both days.
“My brother Tommy and I are starting our own brand of camps in Indianapolis and Sacramento respectively,” Thompson said in a Twitter message. “We look forward to building our brand and passing our passion for soccer onto the youth soccer players in our community.”
The first edition of the camp in Noblesville will feature staff and current Indy Eleven players such as Daniel Keller, David Goldsmith, Christian Lomeli and, of course, Tanner Thompson. All four of these players have Indiana ties with Keller being from Carmel, Indiana, Goldsmith having played for Butler, and Lomeli and Thompson having played for IU.
The Thompsons hope to eventually have future camps in Sacramento, California, where they grew up. Tommy, who also attended and played at IU, currently plays for the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer. The Thompson family has now had two generations of players suit up for the Hoosiers as both Tanner and Tommy followed in their father’s footsteps.
“I coached many camps under Coach [Todd] Yeagley at IU during my time there,” Tanner said. “My father, Gregg Thompson is a 1984 Olympian soccer player and has done soccer camps over the last 30 years.”
If interested in signing up for the camp, you can follow their Twitter page at @ttskillzsoccer or visit them directly at www.t2soccer.com. Tanner also is offering individual training.
Josh Eastern
