Why I Love the British Soccer Camp Program

Let me start by saying that I was compensated for this post – but still, I would have written about British Soccer Camp even if I wasn’t, simply because of our experiences with it.

Miss Sarah is now 11 and has only played soccer in her phys ed classes at school. The first day of camp, the kiddos were all playing with their balls before things started and she kind of stood off to the side, doing her own thing. One coach, Luciano, stopped to chat with her a few times and show her a technique or two. Then, the teams were set, by age and kids were told to head to their newly assigned coaches.

She came to me and started crying… she was afraid to make a fool of herself, felt she was the only one who wasn’t on a ream (outside of camp) and wanted to go home. The head coach, Mark, came over and talked with her.

Luciano was closes by and said “Sarah, come over to my team” – and with a few more kind words from Mark, she dried her tears and joined a younger team.

I stayed for about an hour and she seemed to be doing just great so I left. At pick up time, she didn’t want to leave!

• She HAD to go back on Tuesday because her high “I” personality was triggered by their “decorate your ball” contest. We broke out the glitter glue, beads and ribbons to create a master piece.
• She HAD to go back on Wednesday because it was “Wacky Wednesday” and she wanted to make coach Mark wear a tiara trimmed with pink maribou, and she was MVP on a game in the scrimmage on Tuesday.
• She HAD to go back for “Fun Fact Thursday” … you get the idea.

She’s already talking about going again NEXT year and hosting a coach – not for the discount but for the simple fact that she likes all the coaches. They are all abut making it fun for the kids, besides educational.

I have seen her soccer skills improve over the week and the tips and tricks that she has learned – which take me back to when I was her age and played on a team. The thing I like the most about British Soccer Camp is how I have seen her self esteem flourish over the week. It’s not easy being a kid that starts college at the age of nine, and then going through puberty. All the normal insecurities abound with a few bonus ones thrown in. It’s programs like this that help us provide what our kids need, that we can’t give them ourselves. These coaches are fantastic with kids, knowledgeable about the sport (Most were professional players) and have this down to a system that just rocks.

If you are overwhelmed by the deluge of camp offers every spring, this is the third one that I have approved of – the first was Camp Invention, Bethel Horizons and Now, British Soccer Camp.