You Won't Believe What Happened at Lake Placid Soccer Centre's 50-Year Anniversary Celebration!

LAKE PLACID — The Lake Placid Soccer Centre (LPSC) is gearing up to celebrate a significant milestone: its 50th anniversary of soccer education and promotion. From July 12-17, 2026, the center will host a variety of events across New York State, including coach clinics, youth soccer camps, and tournaments at its locations in Lake Placid and Canton.

“Over 70,000 campers have gone through our youth soccer camps in Lake Placid and at St. Lawrence University,” said Mike McGlynn, co-founder of LPSC. He has invited former campers to participate in a full slate of soccer activities during the anniversary week, which will also feature two FIFA World Cup watch parties during the tournament's semifinals in July 2026.

McGlynn encourages anyone who attended the camp over the past five decades to bring their grandchildren to enjoy a day camp from July 13-17 in Lake Placid. The event will also include a coaching clinic focusing on youth soccer skills using the Coerver Coaching Method, which has its roots in Lake Placid since the mid-1980s. This method has since become a staple training program in over 20 countries, with around 20,000 young athletes in Scandinavia alone attending year-round training sessions.

The highlight of the Golden Anniversary celebration will take place on July 16, in Lake Placid, where attendees can connect and learn from the co-founder of the Coerver Coaching Method, Alfred Galustian, who will lead a coaching clinic.

A unique aspect of this anniversary celebration is an adult FIFA World Cup Watch Party 5-a-side Tournament at the North Elba Athletic Fields on July 14 and 15. This tournament will serve as a reunion for teams that previously competed in LPSC’s indoor soccer tournaments, held on astroturf in the Olympic Center’s three rinks. The tournaments, known as the Soccer America Dawn to Dark Festival, saw participation from over 5,000 adult soccer players from 1981 to 2007.

“Many ex-World Cup national team members and up-and-coming players like Kristine Lilly played on the Lake Placid rinks from 7 a.m. to midnight over four days,” McGlynn remarked, expressing his hope to rekindle the camaraderie experienced at those past events during the FIFA watch parties.

Previous anniversaries have attracted soccer enthusiasts from around the globe. For instance, during LPSC's 40th anniversary, over 75 participants traveled from Europe to reconnect. This time, the invitation extends to former campers and staff, who are encouraged to enjoy the beauty of the Adirondack Region through activities such as golf, hiking, Olympic venue sightseeing, boating, and dining.

As the details of this soccer vacation week continue to develop, interested participants can expect further announcements regarding housing and registration options leading up to 2026. Information about youth soccer camps next summer at St. Lawrence University, with overnight sessions scheduled from July 19-25, 2026, will also be available.

For more information, McGlynn can be contacted at [email protected], or interested parties can visit lakeplacidsoccer.com for updates.