Great Lakes Soccer Academy Soccer Excellence for Over 10 years!

Our Mission

Since 1998, the Great Lakes Soccer Academy has provided soccer players of all ages a positive learning environment focusing on improving the technical, tactical, physical, and mental demands of the game.

To ensure player development, our Academy offers youth day camps, residential team camps, residential individual camps and individual goalkeeper camps.  Our Academy staff exposes players to a challenging learning atmosphere; to assist them in reaching their individual potential by placing the players in a competitive setting with high level instruction.

Academy Staff

The Great Lakes Soccer Academy staff will be selected and trained for each camp. We acknowledge that high school and youth camps require different coaching and therefore we select staff that will be great at each of our camps.

Our Staff Guarantee“We guarantee you that the staff at Great Lakes Soccer Academy will be do everything it can to ensure you an environment conducive to learning soccer, team building, and having a great time."

Meet Our Staff

Brent Ridenour, President
Brent Ridenour will be entering his twelfth season as head coach for the men’s soccer program at Ohio Northern University. In his first eleven seasons, he has led the Polar Bears to a national level. His teams are a combined 142-76-19 including two NCAA Tournament appearances (two in three seasons), three Conference Championships, eight Conference Tournament Appearances and eleven consecutive non-losing seasons. His 2008 team advanced to the Elite 8 and was ranked 11th nationally by the NSCAA at the end of the season. He was named Conference Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2006 as well as Ohio Division III Coach of the Year in 2008. He has extensive camp and coaching experience and has been a Camp Director for Great Lakes Soccer Academy for eleven years. Brent oversees all of the camps for Great Lakes Soccer Academy.

Mark Batman, Director of Camps
Mark Batman will be entering his sixth season as Head Coach for the Women’s Soccer program at Ohio Northern University. In his first five seasons, Mark has guided the Polar Bears to an impressive 61-27-8 record, including four appearances in the Conference Tournament. In 2007, his team won the Conference Championship and he was named Coach of the Year. Mark holds a NSCAA Premier Diploma and Goal Keeping Level II License. Coach Batman also works with the Ohio North Olympic Development Program. Mark oversees all staffing and works both Team and Individual Camps for Great Lakes Soccer Academy. This will be Mark’s fifth year with Great Lakes Soccer Academy.
Dave Knapp, Goalkeeper Director
Dave Knapp is currently an Assistant Coach and the Goalkeeper Coach for the men’s soccer program at Ohio Northern University. While playing at Ohio Northern, Dave enjoyed an incredible four-year career, compiling 486 saves, still tops among all goalkeepers in ONU history. Dave oversees all goalkeeper training and coaches at both Team and Individual Camps for Great Lakes Soccer Academy.
Adam Gatton, Assistant Director of Camps
Adam Gatton is currently an Assistant Coach for the Men's Soccer team at Ohio Northern University. Adam was a four year letter winner in college and still holds the single season records for goals and points at Ohio Northern University. And, Adam was named Conference Forward of the Year his senior year. Adam oversees all youth camps and has been coaching with Great Lakes Soccer Academy for five years.