Sending your child away to a residential soccer camp or sports academy can be a scary experience. Every parent wants to know that their child is safe and cared for, so putting trust in others can sometimes be difficult. However, it doesn’t have to be that way!
The soccer and sports camps that we deal with employ professional coaches, qualified language tutors and specially-trained camp monitors to ensure that children are always under expert supervision.
Not only that, but our airport pick-up services (when combined with airline child escort services) mean that your child will be looked after from door to door, even when travelling abroad!
So with that thought in mind, let’s take a look at some of the positive effects that a residential soccer camp can have on the life of your child.
1. A sense of adventure
Children love an adventure and a residential soccer camp provides just that. What could be more exciting for an inquisitive young mind than a trip abroad to hang out with kids of their own age while playing the game that they love? For many children, a sports camp can provide the ultimate sense of adventure.
2. Improve skills
Of course, one of the main aims of any sports camp is to improve the skill of the players. Children that attend our sports summer camps will benefit from training under the guidance of professional coaches, many of whom have worked at the highest level in the game. However many weeks your child spends at a residential camp, they are sure to come away a better player.
3. Learn a new language
One of the great features of our sports camps is the option to include language lessons as part of the package. Children pick up new languages much easier than adults, so it makes sense that they should learn the language of the country they are visiting. We work with camps that offer Spanish, English and French lessons.
4. Make new friends
Soccer camps attract children from all over the world, so it is only natural that those who attend will build new friendships. The children will often be sharing a room with one or more peers and will spend all day playing and socialising together. In this environment, friendships that last long beyond the duration of the camp can easily be forged.
5. Become more responsible
Being away from family makes children feel more grown up and as a result, they tend to adopt a more responsible attitude during their time at the camp. Of course, they may still feel the urge to have some extra fun away from the gaze of their parents but the daily routine of the camp helps them to understand the importance of self-control and time management.
6. Embrace another culture
Our sports camps are hosted in many different countries around the world. In our modern globalised society it can be important for young people to be exposed to other cultures, nationalities and languages. During our sports camps, they will get to spend time discovering the sights and sounds of the local area, sampling the food and meeting new people.
7. Develop as a person
During the coaching sessions at our residential soccer camps, participants are not just taught how to become better players. They are also educated on values such a teamwork, fair play and sportsmanship. When combined with the cultural aspect of the experience and the sense of responsibility that is instilled, this can help children to develop on a personal level. Children often leave feeling more confident to take on whatever challenges they decide to face in life.
8. Lead a healthy life
Playing sport is one of the best ways to educate a child on the importance of staying fit and healthy. The menus at all our camps are specifically designed to provide the kind of balanced and healthy diet that a young athlete needs. The importance of this is also stressed by the coaches who train the children. The right diet can improve performance, prevent illness and aid recovery from injury, so it is one of the most vital lessons that a young player can learn.
9. Be more sociable
In a world dominated by smart phones, tablets, computer games and television, time spent at a soccer camp can encourage children to spend more time interacting with other people. They learn the importance of spending time outside and being active, and are only allowed to use their phones and the internet at certain times. The camps also have many communal areas where children can also interact with each other during their spare time.
10. A life experience
Above everything else, a soccer camp offers young people an experience that they will remember for the rest of their lives. Whatever the motivations of each individual and whatever path they choose to take in life, they will always remember the time they spent playing sport, learning a language and having fun with new friends from all over the world.