ISL Futbol, Charlotte

During the summer, passersby might see a bunch of coaches from Barcelona urging kids through drills in local parks and sports complexes. They shouldn't worry—this isn't some covert invasion. It's just the Barcelona Soccer Camp. Organized by ISL Futbol and FCBEscola, this five-day program serves the dual purpose of building kids' confidence and soccer skills and preparing them for potential recruitment to come join the Barcelona All-Star experience later in the year. Even more importantly, though, the program is designed to help youth understand the values of being a good person on and off the field.

UEFA-licensed FC Barcelona coaches—holders of the highest soccer-coaching level in the world—join forces with former FC Barcelona players and NCAA assistant coaches. With one coach for every 12 campers, the six-hour days are filled with lessons in soccer theory and dynamic, hands-on training. Programs follow elite FC Barcelona training methodology and are broken up into skill-specific workshops on dribbling, controlling and passing, possession games, and, perhaps most importantly, real scrimmages with a team.