Freeport, Bahamas - The highly-infectious soccer fever which is sweeping the
world spreads to Grand Bahama next week.
Youngsters signed up for the 10th annual Premier
League Soccer Camp, which starts on Monday, will find it has a very strong
World Cup flavour, with themed games every day and giveaway replica balls at
the end of the week-long event.
The visiting professional coaches, who will lead a big team
of local assistant coaches, have dreamed up a range of activities which capture
the spirit of the World Cup Finals being played in Brazil.
The soccer event of the year, being watched by large numbers
of Grand Bahamians every day on cable and satellite TV and the Internet, is
being played between 32 national sides and is also the TV event of the year
with more than 3.2 billion people worldwide expected to watch it. Even in the US it has attracted almost as
many viewers as the NBA Play off Finals.
Its international nature is mirrored by the Sir Jack Hayward
Camp a feature of which ever since its first year has been the number of
countries represented among the youngsters who enjoy the five days of coaching
and play. Though Bahamians tend to be
the largest group, children from up to 20 other countries have tended to take
part.
“That is just one of the factors which make this such an
attractive camp and a must-attend sporting event. The kids don’t just get world-class coaching,
they get the chance to mix with new people and make new friends. And then of course there are the other
goodies, like two complete sets of uniform plus lunch every day,” said
organiser Richard Malcolm.
“Obviously we, like millions of people around the globe,
have been looking forward to the World Cup Finals and right from the start we
wanted to give the camp a flavour of what is happening in Brazil and captivated
the world. The three coaches from the UK
have input their thoughts and the afternoon sessions each day particularly will
mirror the big event.
“What is particularly good is that the kids will be put through
their paces during the day and then have the chance to go home and see how the
top stars use the same skills to play the game at the highest level.”
The camp starts at 8.45am on Monday, June 23rd at Freeport Rugby and
Football Club’s fields at East Settlers Way and runs to 3pm every day until Friday, June 27th with an
hour’s break for lunch. Registration and distribution of uniforms is from 2pm
to 4pm on Saturday and again on Sunday.
Those wishing to sign up earlier can do so at Town and Country, Yellow
Pine Street; Animale, Port Lucaya Marketplace; downtown at GB Trading Post; or
at the rugby club for the next couple of evenings.
The visiting coaches, Abbie Sadler, Jenna Martin and Robbie
Pringle, arrive on Friday and, after a day or two to acclimatize, run a session
with the local coaches on Sunday afternoon.
The trio are full time coaches working for The Football Association, the
sport’s governing body in the UK, and are taking vacation to lead the camp. They bring with them a whole new range of
drills and teaching methods.
“It is not just the young players who benefit from the
week. The local coaches who work with
the kids through the rest of the year also get the chance to learn new things,”
said Malcolm.
Four Top Grand Bahama Soccer Camp Kids to a Win Trip to Miami
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