Guiness Ruiz-Rockett recently received an invite to attend the West Ham United Academy Experience in London next year.

LAHAINA – Nine-year-old, fourth grade Princess Nahi’ena’ena Hawaiian Immersion School student Guiness Ruiz-Rockett was selected to attend an elite soccer academy in London in the spring of 2016.

The West Ham United International Academy hosts Player ID Camps around the world. At each camp, the best players are invited to attend a residential National Camp.

The best players from the National Camps are invited to the West Ham United Academy Experience in London, where they will spend eight to ten days training at the West Ham United Academy.

Guiness has been playing soccer since he was four years old. He is a member of the West Maui Na Koa Soccer Club.

Last fall, he attended the regional ID camp in Kihei; from there, he was selected to attend the national camp at the Arizona Casa Grande Sports Center in July 2015.

In August, he received an invite to attend the elite training camp in England: “As you may know through the national camp, the West Ham United Academy coaches are trying to identify the best players to be invited to the Elite Academy Experience at West Ham United Academy in London in the Spring of 2016. As I am sure you can imagine, the standard for this invitation is very high.”

Parents Deidre and Jorge Ruiz-Rockett are rightfully proud. Deidre (Lahainaluna High School Class of 1996) attended Concordia University in Portland, Oregon, under a four-year soccer scholarship.

Jorge played rugby for Division 1 Chico State, winning the Division 3 men’s national championship in 2002 playing for the Chico Mighty Oaks.

“We have to thank fellow Na Koa Soccer Club players, coaches and parents for helping Guiness become the player he is today; and, especially, Fran Hinton for her financial support. With them, he has excelled,” Coach David Rockett said.