PARENTS AND HOST FAMILY QUOTES

GEORGIA
Our daughter Jada just finished her camp with Challenger. I must say it was a wonderful experience for her. She really enjoyed it. We were also a host family. Justin Wotherspoon stayed with us. We can honestly say that he will be missed when he leaves. Jada is 9 and Brayden is 3. He never hesitated to sit down with them to play or talk with them. He was always kind and courtesy. My husband and I enjoyed having him here and learning about his family and country. We wish we had more time with him. He will always be welcome back into our home.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
I wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our week! Tom was definitely the talk of the town! I spoke to several parents, some who had kids last year and many newcomers. There is certainly no comparison to last year! Tom has SO much skill, both in Soccer and in teaching and dealing with children! My children are 7 and 4, and both of them are now soccer fans! The skills they learned in just a week are just amazing! All of the parents involved are talking about this week! I can only imagine the number of people who will be involved next year! Tom is certainly an asset to your company, not only on the field, but at the home as well. His focus was constantly on the kids. After coaching all day, he took the time to get to know my children and played games with them constantly! Other parents brought their kids over after camp and he took charge and played with them as well! We already consider him part of this family and we all were definitely teary eyed when it was time for him to move on! You should be proud of Tom, for not only your company, but for England as well! He not only taught soccer, but the kids learned about England, France Brazil and Italy. This will stay with them well beyond their school years!
Again, Thank you for such a positive experience! Wayne said he will try to request Tom for next year and we will definitely host again!

TENNESSEE
I just want to say thank you for such a wonderful program. My daughter loved her time with Coach Jordan this week and thought he was amazing. He was wonderful with the way he interacted with the children. I loved the fact that she was ready to go every morning and wished I had put her in for the full day. I will know better next time. Coach Jordan and Coach Neal were very polite and great with the kids. I will definitely refer your soccer camp to others for the coming summers. Thank you again for all of the dedication and work your company puts into making camp a success.

MARYLAND
I had some concerns of how my son would do in this camp as one of the younger kids and being relatively new to soccer. Luckily my concerns didn't stop us from signing him up because it was an amazing week not only for him but for my wife and I also. The one thing that stood out the most for us was Camp Director Danny Williams who was (luckily) working with the our son's age group. My wife and I observed each session and really enjoyed watching the interaction Danny had with our son and with all the other kids. Danny has an amazing talent for teaching young kids and does a great job of interacting with them at their level. This was especially apparent if one of the children had a question or concern or just needed some one-on-one attention. Danny not only made it fun for the kids but he made them comfortable and really listened to what they had to say (even if it didn't relate to soccer). Strangely, after only one week of camp for just a few hours a day, my wife and I spent this weekend lamenting the fact that we wouldn't be able to see Danny next week. He made such an impact on us and Jay that I wish the camp would have been all summer long. Midway through last week I searched your web site to see if there were any more camps in our area and I immediately signed up for another week of camp in Reisterstown, MD starting on August 6th. I am hoping we have another great week and that Jay can continue to learn and gain confidence. We have our fingers crossed that we might be lucky enough to have Danny as a coach again. The camp as a whole does a great job of integrating the younger kids in with the older kids and it makes it such a positive experience for the kids in my son's age group. Jay was assigned an older camper to help mentor him during the games and she was helpful in explaining the rules and really engaging Jay in the action. The structure is great for the older and younger kids and really promotes a team atmosphere and takes the focus off the individual.

WASHINGTON
My 7 year-old son has been doing an a.m. soccer camp in LaConner, Washington, this week. I wanted to let you know what a terrific job the two coaches, Paul and Chris, have been doing with the children this week. The camp has been filled with fun soccer games as well as excellent teaching moments. Paul, the Geordie coach, in particular, has taken the opportunity to explain to the kids how to use space on the field instead of bunching up. Chris, the Scotsman, is very caring and has a special touch with the wee ones. My son has thoroughly enjoyed the camp and is looking forward to doing another camp next year. Thank you.

LOUISIANA
We really enjoyed the soccer camp. Chris, Jaime, Alex and Scott we're great. They have great patience and poise with the kids. The camp was fun and exciting and my son look forward to it daily. I was VERY impressed. We can't wait for next summer. Thanks for a great summer camp, we've brought away wonderful memories

GEORGIA
This email is regarding the great experience my children had at the British Soccer Camp at Hamilton Mill in Dacula, GA (Tara Jones, our activities director, gave me your email). They attended the 5:30pm - 7:30pm camp. Nathan (6 yrs old) and Nicole (4 yrs old) both enjoyed the camp and were excited each day to attend. Coach Sean and Coach John did an exceptional job at making the drills entertaining and instructional for the different ages and skill levels. At these ages it is especially hard to keep the children's attention and encourage them to participate, and both the coaches worked hard to accomplish this. Again, I just wanted to say "Thank you". We will definitely attend next year.

CALIFORNIA
Our camps last week were outstanding! Both James Wood and James Ireland did a fantastic job and were very fun to hang with in the afternoon. Our players made great gains in skill, confidence, and understanding! I hope the guys can return some time. So fare you are batting 1.000 as all of the coaches you have sent us over the years have been skilled, well trained, enthusiastic, and a lot of fun!

SOUTH CAROLINA
Just a quick message to say how impressed we, that is Charles, George and myself, are at how Coach Ryan has coached them this week. I do not know if you have meetings where these things are acknowledged, if you do you need to include Ryan, he has shown the children the upmost respect. His skills for keeeping them on task are excellent, he really made the most out of using the different countries as a way of awarding points, gave the children sensible awards for good team playing as well as good football skills. He has made the whole week enoyable, I have not heard one child or parent say a negative word about him, the only thing they did say was 'What did he say?, I can't understand him!' but the children soon understand his Scotish accent,(We really can't hold that against him). We have been to 2 camps now and Ryan is by far the best coach that has been 
at both camps, he must be congratulated for his enthusiasm and energy, the money/time spent on this camp has been well spent and the children have come away with a very positive attitude to playing sport as well as new skills. I must point out that Coach Jim has also been good, he was working with the Mini Soccer children, they also seem to have had a great week as well. Thank you for organising such a great week.

CONNECTICUT
Jason and I wanted to tell you what a pleasure it was to host Carl T. in Killingly Ct. He had to endure 98+ heat and humidity. He quickly became like family. Jason and I both support your organization and hope to continue to host Carl again or other coaches in the further. Dylan is looking forward to playing soccer in the fall. He was interested in Tee ball before the camp experience but now is committed to playing soccer. Thank you you for a wonderful opportunity.

NORTH CAROLINA
the camp was Awesome - again, Chris' coaching approach of teaching the "why" and the "how" of skills really matched up with the kids - and follows how I try to coach as well - so I think the kids really understood - if kids understand why they need to do either in tactics or techniques - increases the chances they will recognize those opportunities on their own - and cuts down on coaching from the sidelines. We also had some "great advances" by our "less skilled" players - they really benefited from the 5 day concentrated effort and re-enforcement. Chris also did not mind challenging the kids to stay disciplined - created a fair and focused learning environment for all - Chris was a real pleasure to work with - you could tell he enjoys coaching, kids, and of course the game -


LOUISIANA
Challenger Sports, I will remember this organization for a long time to come. The British soccer camp that came to Denham Springs, Louisiana was the best. It doesn't get any better than Alex, Scott, Chris, and Jamie. I have sat through many a camps for many years with my oldest son (baseball, basketball, football) and I have never been more impressed with what I saw my week at soccer camp. I can't remember when I've had a more enjoyable time just watching. It was especially pleasing to be around a group of guys that knew what they were doing. They kept the children focused and at times were very entertaining. I felt my child was in a safe environment. I'm truly grateful for their efforts and enthusiasm. We had to endure some pretty hot and HUMID mornings but they did it with style and professionalism. Thank you so much: Alex, Scott, Chris, and Jamie it's rare you find such QUALITY people that want to teach and be around small children. Great Job!

RHODE ISLAND
British culture invaded Jamestown last week, as over 35 island kids participated in a camp that was part world history class and part soccer camp. The camp was led by 12 British soccer coaches, hailing from Ireland, Scotland and England, who stayed with local hosts, including two Jamestown families. “We hosted Andy as a coach last year and we stayed in touch with him over the winter, so he came back and stayed with us again this year,” Esther Novis said. “We had heard for years about how much fun the British soccer camps were, but when we did our first one last year we loved it so much that we signed up for their other camp in August.” The coaches ranged in age from 18 to 26 years old, and brought a wealth of diversity outside of soccer to the camp. Kelly MacPhail, who hails from Manchester, England, is a two-handicap golfer and a certified golf professional. James Ingham is the son of a retired Royal Navy officer, has lived in the United States on two different occasions and just finished his second year of law school.
“We actually have coaches who are teachers in the UK who come to America to coach for us over their summer break for about six weeks,” Tom Williams, the Challenger Soccer regional director for the Rhode Island area, said. Their coaches will teach approximately 85,000 campers in the United States this summer. Williams points out that part of the success of the camp is finding the right combination of coaches, and that coaches are screened and tested before they offered a coaching position. “We aren’t taking someone who just wants to come to America for an eight-week vacation,” Williams explained. “We have a full time staff in the UK who work year-round on finding the best coaches.” Applicants go through a four-step application process that includes a police and FBI background check and two separate training weekends before the best are offered positions as Challenger coaches. “One of the first things the coaches have to do is a 15-minute coaching session with 15 of the other applicants. If you can do a session with 15 of your peers who you have never met before, then you might be someone we can look at to coach kids,” Williams said. The second step involves an in depth interview process and then the coaches have a selection training weekend, all before they are even considered for a position. Although the process may seem a little in depth to coach a summer camp, Williams said that is because Challenger takes its mission seriously. “We want to bring the game of soccer to everybody, no matter who they are and we do that through our coaches and our curriculum,” he said. The Challenger model involves maximum participation, the idea that the children are working with the ball most of the time. They have combined the best of several international coaching models to come up with a philosophy that helps kids to learn serious skills while having fun. “That was probably my favorite thing about the camp,” Mary Waddington said. “I would watch John and he would be so excited and having such a good time. He came away laughing, but he was learning skills the entire time.” When asked what his favorite part of the camp was, John said, “I really loved playing in the World Cup games.” The campers are divided into World Cup teams, and spend the final part of each session competing against each other for the coveted World Cup championship at the end of the week. World Cup points are earned not only by the final score of the games, but also for sportsmanship, team spirit, encouraging other players and a myriad of other things designed to develop children into well-rounded players. Even water breaks have a purpose at the camp. Players are encouraged to learn about their countries and participate in games such as World Cup trivia during the breaks. “We don’t want the kids to just take something away from the camp, we want to leave them with something,” Williams said. One Challenger coach, David Costello, told a story that he shares with his teams about the importance of the learning as they go. “I had one camp where the Wales team kept telling me all week that they were going to have the most massive flag on World Cup day. The parents and the kids had been working on it all week,” he said. “On Friday, it took four parents to carry the thing out to the field. When they started to unroll it, I realized they had made a flag with a huge blue whale on it. I gave them a load of points for their effort, but now I definitely direct the kids to where they can get information about their country.” Other island campers, such as Finn Dwyer, enjoyed the camp’s themed days. Soak the coach day and Wacky Wednesday were big hits and kept the mood light even when the mercury was rising. With facts about 16 different countries in their heads, and a lot of soccer knowledge tucked away in their brains, the campers left smiling on the last day, a fact which pleases Williams. “I am from Wales, but Rhode Island is my home. I have lived here six years and I am immersed in this community and in the soccer community and I really care that soccer is presented in a great way to these kids,” he concluded.

NORTH CAROLINA
We said Good Bye to coach Dave Kelly this morning, after a week of having him stay with our family. We were all in tears. What a great  week we had!! All seven of the Mebane coaches were fabulous - friendly, engaging, polite, fun etc, not to mention excellent soccer players and coaches. Dave was the best of the bunch! He is so loved by the children, the other coaches, and the families, that I just had to tell you Thank You for sending him to us! We were so lucky to have him assigned to Mebane and to our family. We are planning to have Dave come back and visit later this summer when he is done coaching; and we certainly hope that he will be back next year for camp.

MARYLAND
Just to let you know what a wonderful group of young men that you sent to the Salisbury area. Jacques, Martin and Oli were very respectful and responsible and an asset to your organization. Our 9 year old daughter attended the camp and enjoyed the camp as well as learned from their expertise. We enjoyed the cultural exchange and look forward to seeing these young men in area again.

ILLINOIS
I just wanted to tell you how much my children enjoy British Soccer Camp. This is their third year in the program in Chicago, through the Irving Park YMCA. The camp was the week of June 25 - 29, 2007. Coaches Paul, Lauren and the new coach were great. I really think the program is wonderful and the kids really love the coaches. We all really look forward to the program every year.

MARYLAND
Hi! I wanted to let you know that my two sons and their best friend recently went to one of your soccer camps here in Salisbury, Maryland. It was the first time our boys had ever done this and we were so very happy with the entire camp. The coaches, Jack, Martin and Ollie were just wonderful! They were very knowledgeable, so positive, and could communicate with the children just great! They are definitely an asset to your organization. The values that you teach our children are invaluable! I would definitely have my children attend your camp again will highly recommend it to any of our friends.

KENTUCKY
My 3 year old son was enrolled in the British Soccer Camp that was held in Owensboro, KY this past week. I just wanted to let you know that he and I had a blast. Coach Niki was wonderful with all of the kids and I really enjoyed watching her with the children. I can't say enough good things about her. I think that it was a great way for my son to be introduced to the sport of soccer.

CONNECTICUT
We just wanted to let you know that we hosted a BSC coach in Orange, CT last week. His name is Shane and we love him. This was our first time hosting a coach and it was a fantastic experience. The weather was humid for much of the week and Shane was out there with 12 kids for six and a half hours a day. All the kids had a great time. Shane has an incredible amount of patience and all the children loved him ! He'd then come home and play with our son Eric in the backyard for another few hours. Eric learned so many new skills and now has an amazing new enthusiasm for soccer. He was originally going to play American football in the fall but since soccer camp and Shane's expertise he has decided to stick with soccer. We are forever grateful for that! As far as being a host family we couldn't have asked for a better young man. He just melded into our family like he'd always been here. This morning Eric woke up and asked if we could go visit Shane at his next coaching stop 30 minutes away in Stamford. CT. We miss him already and would love to host him again next year. Maybe you could extend the camp to 2 weeks????

WASHINGTON
This week our son Orion was in a challenger camp here in the San Juan's (Friday Harbor) with three of the best coaches and people our family have ever had the privilege to meet; Daniel Forrester, Chris Hale and Jack Bolton. They all had such a great style of teaching and interacting with the kids and their families and the they really meshed well with our community. I know our family would like to personally request that the three of them return for the next session. I am sure you will be hearing from several families that would like to have them back to continue the fantastic work that they began with our islands children. We had the privilege of hosting Daniel at our home this week and I have to say it was an unbelievable experience and education for our entire family. From the moment Dan arrived he seemed to fit right into our family and was more than willing to share his life, his culture and his love of soccer. The first night he was here we all stayed up very late sharing the differences and similarities in our two countries and I for one had a huge education and history lesson that I will never forget. Daniel has become a family friend that we will continue to correspond with and hopefully we will have the opportunity to see again. He embraced our daily life, our routine and our children openly and in turn I hope he had some memorable experiences as well. You have a real asset in Daniel and I know this is one family and community that will not forget him. During the week we had the privilege to spend quite a bit of time with Chris and Jack and their host families as well and they both were so open and friendly and easy to talk to and were amazing with our children. Chris did a phenomenal job keeping the camp moving in a positive direction all week and gave these kids many skills to build on and grow with. He was a tremendous leader as well as Jack and Daniel they all interacted so well with the children and I think that gave them respect from all of us parents. We will continue to correspond with these young men and have truly enjoyed the experience and the gifts they brought to our family and should any of them make it back it would be our honor to host them again. Thank you so much for your time and for this opportunity. Dan, Liz, Willow and Orion

CALIFORNIA
I just want to tell you what wonderful guys you sent to us for hosting. Ray and Harry could not have been more delightful. They were quite outstanding men and we are very glad that we participated in the hosting program. We were also very impressed with their dedication to the young children they coached. It was definitely their priority to make sure the children at the Challenger Camp had a positive experience. They were very committed to their coaching and it was a real pleasure to witness.

CALIFORNIA
I just wanted to say we had a wonderful week with Rory Meecham and we cannot say enough nice things about him. Not only was he patient, kind and funny with our kids but he was a very polite young man and Reed and I enjoyed his company as much as our children. He easily became a part of our family.
We will miss him but we have wonderful memories. Thank you for sending him our way.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Just wanted to thank you for another wonderful British soccer camp... this was our second year attending the camp.... all of the British coaches were outstanding... they were top notch.... extremely professional, kind and loving to ALL of the children....really invested in helping these children to learn the exciting sport of soccer. They encouraged and cheered on these children without ceasing all week long... how wonderful! We hope they will continue to want to come to Weare, NH! Thank you so much!

PENNSYLVANIA
Well sadly enough, our Challenger Camp os over for the week. What an awesome group of trainers you all sent to our camp! Our son described it as "lots of fun and LOTS of soccer" also "the best week of his 11 year old life". Pretty impressive! Thanks again!

KENTUCKY
My son just finished one of your soccer camps today and we had the good fortune of hosting one of the coaches, Chris Healy. I just wanted to let you know how happy we are with the program you guys put on. It was first rate! The coaches were extremely knowledgeable and absolutely the best with children. My son, who is 4 years old, had not played soccer before this camp and has a short attention span. Niki was fabulous with keeping his attention and focus. You can certainly tell she loves what she does because she is so good at it. She was able to find ways to relate the drills back to characters or things that he knows and loves. What a great time he had and I can see a future soccer player in the making! As for hosting Chris, it was such a pleasure. He is such a polite and thoughtful young man and we have come to think of him as part of our family. Niki is an absolute delight and we had a great time getting to know them both. We sure hope that they will be the coaches for this program in Owensboro again next year. We can't wait to have them back and would love to host them both in our home.

FLORIDA
I just finished my week at the St. Luke's Soccer Fields with the British Soccer Camp in Oviedo, FL. My main coach was Chris Boardman. He is awesome and very funny. Also there was Jerry McGinty and then Allen from Scotland. Another coach was the very tall Owen. All the coaches rocked and I really hope they come back next year as I will be back too. We learned a lot and got 4th place in the World Cup. It was the BEST camp ever and I hope to see everyone back soon. I will never forget the tremendously great time I had with everyone. We played lots of games and learned new skills. The coaches made sure everyone got it right and were always nice. No one got testy or angry, even in the 95 degree weather! Thanks so much for the memories.

WISCONSIN
Just letting you know about some feedback on your British Soccer program. I have always thought it was a great program, but now I have had a personal experience. It's just a wonderful program for young children. My grandson really enjoyed getting his full uniform on and having his own soccer ball. I have heard many comments from parents on how well the program was run, how much patience all of the coaches had for the younger children and that soccer was made fun with the differrent games and activities that were used. The coaches used re-direction extremely well and never gave up on some of the children that were reluctant to participate. The coaches had a sincere interest in making soccer fun for these young children and used a lot of encouragement on the children. Some of the parents have since come back to the Park Office and I asked how their
children like the soccer camp. Everyone has said it was great; the children loved it; I'm so glad you told me about it; we're doing it again next year, etc. I, along with the rest of the adults, were really amazed that the coaches remembered everyone's name, even on the first day. As you know, names are important to young children. One day my grandson was reluctant to go on the field, and after talking with him for a short time, he mentioned to me that he wanted the coaches and other children to say his "name song" where he was encouraged by saying his name and cheering and clapping. The coaches had the children yell for Jakob to come onto the field, he smiled and ran out. I really can't stress
enough about how much patience the coaches had. They were great!

GEORGIA
Sometimes in today's society, it seems that people only take time to complain, but we would like to congratulate you. We want to extend our appreciation of Coaches Sean McMahon and Jon Gee as they have taught the Hamilton Mill soccer camp this week. So many parents have commented to Shirley how much their children are enjoying and learning from the camp this week as they learn that our family has hosted these young men. Jared, our son, had never played soccer prior to attending this camp and he is excited to show us his new moves each day after camp. He especially enjoys all the fun antics (wacky hair day, flag day, tutti fruti day) that make the camp even more fantastic.
Other parents have told Shirley how their children really appreciate the time the coaches take with them to ensure they are having fun. On the host family side of the experience, we can also only say positive things. Sean and John have been superb house guests. They quickly endeared themselves to our children and have provided a lot of entertainment! We have appreciated getting to learn more about the UK and Britain in general and Jon and Sean have put up with all of our questions very graciously! We hope that you will let these guys know how much they have been appreciated. We and many other parents in Hamilton Mill look forward to the return of the British Soccer camps in years to come. We have a 9 year old, a 6 year old and a 4 year old. There is much potential for repeat business from this household and many others just like ours! Thanks for sending these guys our way!

CALIFORNIA
Simon and Mark are awesome! The girls are really having a wonderful time. I have had several parents approach me about how much fun and laughter comes from the girls when they are on the field with Mark and Simon. I stood there an observed as well and I had a big smile on my face just watching the fun that they were having yet still working hard and learning vital soccer skills. Thank you so much, you made great choices, we want them back next year.

CALIFORNIA
My family had the chance to sponsor Ian Waldie while he was running the Apache Junction Soccer camp here in Arizona. I can't tell you how happy we where to have made that decition. Ian turned out to be a wonderful camp leader. He actually was able to grab the kids attention and focus so that they learned so much in just that one week.
Most important, they all had a lot of fun. Which can be hard to achieve in the heat here or at the age they all are. He handled problems that accured very quickly and professionally, as well as fair. I know, I saw when my son had a few issues and I couldn't help but be impressed at how well Ian handled the situation. But not only did he do an excellent job on the field but also here in our home Ian became a part of the family quite quickly. I have four children all together and all of them had such fun being with Ian.
He was very respectful and polite, but I was most impressed at how much time he was willing to spend with us as well. And we would love to have him back next year if his scedule allows it at all. If you consider to put Ian in a position here as a trainer we can only recommend him from the highest level. He would definitely make an excellent leader and trainer for any team.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
I wanted to let you know how much my family enjoyed the week of British Soccer Camp and hosting coach Sam Rouse. I stayed at camp to watch both my daughter's session with Nick at Mini-soccer and for my son's afternoon session with Dermot, Shane, Lauren and Josh. I was very impressed with the enthusiasm, skill and professionalism of all the coaches and how well they worked with all the kids. I heard no complaints whatsoever and all the parents I spoke with had a very positive experience as well. The coaches really knew how to make camp fun for all the kids by having them play fun games using soccer skills, tell jokes and bring in bring in silly clothes for the coaches. At the same time, the coaches did such a good job teaching the kids the importance of respect and good sportsmanship. My kids can't wait to do the camp again next year. Sam Rouse was the ideal house guest to have stay in our home. He was unfailingly polite and gracious and seemed to enjoy very much playing with our kids, Calvin and Erin. He was happy to go along with all activities we had planned from going to a family cookout to a trip to Target. We learned a lot about England and what it is like to be in America for the first time.
I was very sorry to see Sam go this morning. If he decides to coach next summer, we would love to have him stay with us again if he would like. Thank you both for having the British Soccer Camp in New London and I hope we continue to have this wonderful camp at the Outing Club every summer.

TEXAS
I just wanted to compliment your staff and the coach my daughter had this past week at the Challenger camp in Frisco TX. Her coach was Coach James and he was terrific with the kids. He took time to explain things to them and make them all feel a part of the group. My daughter loved the camp so much that her and her friends are already asking to come back to the camp in July. Again please pass the praise on to James and all of your other coaches and directors.

ARIZONA
I just wanted to let you know how much my son enjoyed the soccer camp last week! It was the highlight of his summer (for a five year old, he is excited about most everything - so I was pretty impressed that his enthusiasm lasted all five days). This is definitely attributed to the excellent program and the fantastic coaches you guys send us each year. I have had the pleasure in years past of coordinating this camp with Challenger as the Youth Sports coordinator, I have hosted a coach before, and always enjoy from the sidelines now-a-days how this camp continues to be a highlight of our summer offerings in AJ. This year was my first year as a camper's mom - and I am happy to say we couldn't be more pleased with the experience. Additionally, we got a lot of great ideas for soccer games to share with our team come Soccer League in the spring! Both coaches showed patience, lots of fun, and really demonstrated to me that young kids can learn anything (if motivated to do so). The kids definitely learned MANY soccer skills through the creative, relevant games taught by the coaches. My son in particular is "high" on life, so to speak - very energetic. I really appreciated the patience and encouragement that Coach Mark showed him… all we've heard for the last week in a half is "my coach said...", "Coach Mark says…" and "this is how Coach Mark showed me…"

MONTANA
Hi, Just wanted to thank you for a great week with Challenger last week. I think this was our best camp ever. I say that every year, but this year really was great. Andy and Matt did a wonderful job with the kids, and Friday was the best World Cup day that we've had with camp. The kids were all really into it, we even had moms who stayed up into the wee hours to sew flags! And as a testament to how well Andy did with the kids, on Friday afternoon it was the end of a long week, it was 99 degrees and humid out on the field, and the kids were still having fun, enthusiastic, and energetic right up to the last. Every coach you have ever sent out here has been great, but I think the fact that the kids already knew Andy made a big difference in how they reacted to him, right away they were joking around with him and having fun. He did a fantastic job with the whole camp. We always comment on how well mannered and easy to have around your coaches are, and this year was no exception. Matt stayed with us and fit right in with our family, as I know Andy did with his. In fact, the only "complaint" we have about camp is that you don't let us keep the coaches long enough! The guys had several offers from camp families to go boating, bbqing, etc. and everyone (especially my kids!) were sorry to see them leave on Friday. These young guys are great ambassadors for both Challenger and England. We've often wondered if American "kids" would be so well mannered if they went to another country and stayed with different families every week. I kind of doubt it. Anyway, Dan, thank you for a great 3rd camp. We had perfect (a little hot) weather, few mosquitos, wonderful coaches, and good press coverage. And everyone commented on the strides that several of the kids made with their playing skills in just a matter of days. Matt had several never-evers, but you couldn't tell by the end of the week. Andy
had a 12 year old with few skills who showed a lot of improvement and grasp of the game, his father was thrilled! And he threw in a little goalkeeping action for my son who so badly wanted goalkeeping camp. Kudos to everyone. Look forward to seeing you guys next year.

CALIFORNIA
My six yr old daughter Faith attend the challenger soccer camp in Apache Junction, AZ the week of June 25th. She had an amazing time! She was under coach Mark's direction but both coaches were the absolute best! I would sign up again next year, especially if I knew these two coaches would be coming to our area again. I would also volunteer to be a host family either of these young men. They made learning the skills fun and emphasized respect within the sport. Both had patience and such a great sense of humor while running all the games and activities. They are a true asset to your program and I am sure that it is do to coaches like them that your program will continue to be a success. I hope they come back to Arizona next year- if they do, we will definitely be there. This time with all 3 of our kids!

GEORGIA
I would like to personally thank you for the world-class soccer camp you brought to the athletes at St. John’s Catholic School and other Madison County soccer players. I was truly impressed with the way the camp was executed. The four of you did an outstanding job of teaching age appropriate skills and adjusting to the skill set of the various players. I’ve been involved in coaching youth soccer for over 15 years. During this time, I have helped coordinate six youth soccer camps and watched my boys attend three other camps. Of these nine camps, this week’s camp was my favorite and I felt the level of coaching was a direct match to the camp attendees. The parents, players and especially I appreciated Richard’s enthusiasm and preparedness throughout the five days of our camp. His leadership raised the bar for the camp. I also enjoyed watching him and learning from him as he taught the 7-9 year olds. My son Garrett was in this age group and he truly enjoyed the camp. Richard always had a smile and was very enthusiastic and comical through out the camp. His communication with me was outstanding and was truly a pleasure to work with. I would not hesitate to work with Richard a second and hope we have another opportunity to work together in the near future. Tom’s extreme level of patient was very evident while working with the 3-4 year olds and deserves special recognition. I’m not sure many people his age could have pulled this off so successfully. Furthermore, I felt the exercises/games that he presented to the 5-6 year olds were great and I cannot wait to see the fruits of his labor during the upcoming Kindergarten-2nd fall outdoor season. Additionally, it was obvious that Tom has a good deal of experience at coaching as he worked with the older boys during the goal keeping camp. I would welcome Tom coaching at any and all levels in the future. Andy was also superb in his work with the 9-10 year olds. He had a very large group to work with several very challenging individuals in his group … I know, I’ve coached them before. J Given the large group and the very dynamic (if not explosive) attitudes, he deserves an A+ for his effort. For this, I am very much in appreciation as many of these kids I will be coaching in the July/August timeframe as we prepare for our 3rd-5th grade fall outdoor season at St. John’s. And then there is Dave, the old man of the group. He may say his is old; however, with age come knowledge and experience. Both were VERY evident throughout the camp this week. And of course, I have 10 years on him and wish I was not on the other side of 30 and quickly approaching 40. Dave was very impressive as he worked with the older kids in the morning, his years of coaching and love for the game shown through his many actions. He was passionate about coaching and pushed the older kids in order to reach their potential. I learned a lot watching Dave (and the other coaches) and can’t wait to work many of the exercises into my practice plans … both for St. John’s as well as my club team.

MASSACHUSETTS
We wanted to let you know what a great Challenger experience we had last week in Littleton. The kids all loved the camp, and your four coaches (Amy, Tom, Chris Gray and Ryan Wood) were wonderful with everyone, both children and parents alike. Despite the intense heat, they were enthusiastic and energetic each day, and succeeded in teaching the kids great skills and techniques in a fun environment. Their love of soccer was very evident! We also had the pleasure of hosting Chris and Ryan, which was a memorable experience for our family. The boys were so polite and patient with our children, and it was great to learn firsthand about the British culture. They are dedicated representatives of Challenger Sports. We miss them already, and really enjoyed the experience of "big brothers", if only for a week! We'd love to have the opportunity to host them again next summer, if the opportunity presents itself. Thanks again for a "brilliant" week.

FLORIDA
This past week three of my children and my nephew attended the Ormond Beach Challenger Sports soccer camp. It was a wonderful experience. We have attended soccer camps for several year in Florida and California. The kids absolutely loved camp this year and looked forward to it each day (even in the sweltering heat). I just wanted to let you know that the coaches did a terrific job. They were so positive, energetic, entertaining and fun. This was the second year that one of my kids had Camy as a coach (last year in the Flagler Beach camp) and both times my children especially liked his coaching. My husband and I have coached soccer for several years. We know how much energy it takes and appreciate the hard work and enthusiasm your coaches provide. Participating in such a wonderful camp helps the kids enthusiasm for soccer to grow.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
I wanted to let you know how much my family enjoyed the week of British Soccer Camp and hosting coach Sam Rouse. I stayed at camp to watch both my daughter's session with Nick at Mini-soccer and for my son's afternoon session with Dermot, Shane, Lauren and Josh. I was very impressed with the enthusiasm, skill and professionalism of all the coaches and how well they worked with all the kids. I heard no complaints whatsoever and all the parents I spoke with had a very positive experience as well. The coaches really knew how to make camp fun for all the kids by having them play fun games using soccer skills, tell jokes, bring in silly clothes for the coaches, and bring in water guns for water fights. At the same time, the coaches did such a good job teaching the kids the importance of respect and good sportsmanship. My kids can't wait to do the camp again next year. Sam Rouse was the ideal house guest to have stay in our home. He was unfailingly polite and gracious and seemed to enjoy very much playing with our kids, Calvin and Erin. He was happy to go along with all activities we had planned from going to a family cookout to a trip to Target. We learned a lot about England and what it is like to be in America for the first time. I was very sorry to see Sam go this morning. If he decides to coach next summer, we would love to have him stay with us again if he would like. Thank you both for having the British Soccer Camp in New London and I hope we continue to have this wonderful camp at the Outing Club every summer.

ALABAMA
Thanks for putting these three AMAZING coaches in the Cullman Alabama program. I want them here next year they made the sport interesting the five days they stayed we have treated them like our own family. These coaches are coach Harry Garston, Chris Healy and Nicola Foley this is the best soccer program in the world, we are sad to see them go. My 7 year old daughter just finished Challenger Soccer Camp in Taneytown, MD. I was able to go to several sessions during the week and wanted to let you know what nice coaches she had. Mike, Sean, Hayden and Reese were each very polite, professional, energetic and enthusiastic with the kids. I thought the drills and songs were very clever and fun. I also liked that they had the homework of learning about different countries. I watched the coaches encourage each child and was especially touched, as a mom, when the coaches comforted the younger kids when they got hurt. It was my daughter's first experience with soccer - she has always wanted to play. She said she wants to go back to your camp next year so I can tell it must have been a positive experience for her. Reese did a fine job as her coach. I hope you will tell him so.

CONNECTICUT
I just wanted to drop you a note to thank you and Asa and Tim on such a great camp. My son Wyatt Hale was in the Sharon CT camp. He woke up every morning excited about going and seeing the coaches actually he was crying when we left because he said he would miss them and was sad that he would never see them again. He says that soccer is his favorite sport now. Well again thank you so much for providing such a great camp with 2 great coaches.

GEORGIA
My 8 year old son has just completed the week long camp. Coaches Harry, Chris and Niki were 'brilliant'! You should be very proud of these young people and how they represent your organization. Their enthusiasm was fantastic. Despite the heat, they maintained a positive attitude and made the camp a great experience. My son really did improve his skills and had a good time as well. Thank you and the coaches for the best experience!!

VIRGINIA
I would like to say how much my husband, children and I enjoyed hosting Coaches Dan and Grady from Challenger. We had such fun that they stayed with us for a second week because host families were in shortage, and we didn't want them to go! Both sets of coaches sent to Cub Run were a hit with the kids of all ages, the first week directed by coach Mike and the second by Coach Mel with Coaches Grady and Andy for the older ones. My son was in First Kicks for both weeks with Coach Dan who was wonderful. Not the easiest class as coaching ten 3-4 year olds can be like herding butterflies, but his professional approach, sense of fun and ability to remember names astounded me from the outset. As a result Harry (3) had a great time, which is what it's all about. Everyone at Challenger whom I have dealt with or met has been a delight (not forgetting the man behind the scenes in Baltimore, Simon Ambrose). Your attitude, methods and selection process clearly are a winning combination.

CALIFORNIA
I had never hosted someone before so I am VERY nervous as what to expect when the coach arrived. But I have to say that Leo Richards was the best role model for my son. My son had never played soccer nor did he know ANYTHING relating to soccer. Coach Leo amazed with his patience and willingness to teach the little ones with so much respect. He is a real asset to the organization and he is welcome back to our house whether for soccer Camp or just to visit! I hope the next camp my son attends Coach Leo (as my son calls him) can do us the honor of returning and coaching. I have said a lot here but there is never gonna be a way I can say it all of how great the program, the coordinator and Coach Leo were!!!! Thank you for making my sons first experience at soccer an amazing one!

TEXAS
My 7-year old daughter, Randi, just completed the British Soccer Camp hosted in Clear Lake last week. We cannot compliment the camp or Coach Liam enough. He was absolutely wonderful with all of the children. He was so patient and kind with all of the children and learned all of their names so quickly! My daughter learned so much and is so excited about soccer and learning even more skills. In the future, I will most certainly sign her up for any of these camps in our area. Please pass our best on to Coach Liam and the rest of the coaches at the Clear Lake Camp last week!

VIRGINIA
We would just like to say it was a great experience having Jacques stay with us. As you said he was a very nice lad and we would have no issues having him stay again. The kids loved him and say they miss him already! Connor had such a great time I was hoping to sign him up for another week and this time his sister Megan said she would like to join him. The next time you guys are at Oak Marr Rec Center is the week of 7/16 but unfortunately the 9:00 is full at this time. I didn’t want to do the later session as it gets a bit too hot for the little ones (and the big ones to be honest!) I was just wondering if you are short of hosting families then we would host another coach. We are on vacation the week before from 7/8 – 7/15 so it would not be the most convenient to have somebody stay that week but if you really need someone I’m sure we could work it out. Thanks again you really do have a great program.

FLORIDA
My 9 year old daughter just finished one of your British Soccer Challenger camps last week hosted by the Jacksonville Youth Soccer Club. I was a bit nervous at first because my daughter likes to play soccer just for the game and the time with her friends. I was concerned that the camp was going to be mainly competitive. I wanted to write and tell you how much my daughter enjoyed the camp and let you know my thoughts on the coaches that were there. All of the coaches were very professional, but friendly. I was made to feel at ease with leaving my daughter with them. The coaches were easy to talk to and answered any questions I asked. They were fun to watch and even engaged the parents in some activities with the children. Never once did I see any of the coaches become frustrated or even appear tired. Also, the coaches gave my daughter some good advice and helped her learn some new soccer skills. My daughter and I were very impressed with Coach Lennon, Coach Arron, Coach Cameron, and Coach Colm (I hope I spelled them all correctly). We wanted to request that they come back and coach at the same soccer camp next year. My daughter may never be a star soccer player but she was made to feel like she could play as well as any other child. You have some great coaches involved with your program. Thank you for your time and for your efforts in bringing these camps to our area.

GEORGIA
Just wanted to praise the British soccer camp held at Bentwater in Acworth GA. Coach Sam was awesome. My daughter was the youngest one there and he kept her and all the others actively involved and they all had a blast.  Coach Sam is unbelivable with all the kids and really taught them a lot. He should be praised by your organization for his hard work and his fun, postive attitude. My daughter thought he was silly and fun and I am sure she will always remember him and your camp and take that with her throughout her upcoming soccer games.

ARIZONA
I just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know what a wonderful experience we had hosting Patrick, and how much Corrie and our family enjoyed the camp. Your coaches were a lot of fun, and conducted themselves very well. We especially enjoyed Patrick , and Corrie thought of him as her "own" coach. What a great group of young men. I was happy to hear that your camp will be coming back to Flagstaff for the next few years. Corrie can't wait to sign up for next year ,and we will definitely be a host family again. Please feel free to forward our email to whoever needs to know (including the coaches!) so that these great coaches can be recognized.

NORTH CAROLINA
This past week my two children were in the camp in Swansboro, North Carolina. I must say that they had a blast with all the coaches. Even though we didn't host a family, they were included in all the activites they did out of camp. I wanted to ask that if at all possible that we could have Laura Collins, Chris Curwen, Ryan Connell, Rich Booth, David Kelly, and Dos(last name unknown) back next year. They did a fantastic job and we would love to have them back next year! Might even have to host one of them...

VIRGINIA
I just wanted to say that we are currently taking the First Kicks British Soccer Camp this week at CubRun Rec Center. We are in the 11:30 session with Coach Dan and my son, who is four is enjoying it so very much that he doesn't want it to end! Coach Dan is amazing with the children. He knew all of their names from the first day on and has so much energy and enthusiasm that you would never know that the 11:30 class was his third session of the day, you would think it was his only one. I know there is another session starting in August and a friend of mine who is attending that session came to watch ours and is so hoping that Coach Dan will be running that class! I just wanted to say we are very impressed with this program and coach Dan and we will certainly plan to attend again in the future.

ILLINOIS
I wanted to send a note and let you how great the camp and coaches were this year (Champaign, June 18-22). Once again, we hosted coaches, and to quote my daughter "this was the best group we've ever had!" Our family, at our kid's insistence, arranges our summer vacations around going to this camp, and we will continue to do so. British Challenger obviously puts a great deal of effort into screening applicants for coaching positions. We have always been impressed and very happy with the quality of coaching AND the personal interaction the coaches engage in with the children and their parents. This year's staff was especially adept in both areas.

TEXAS
I just wanted to compliment your staff and the coach my daughter had this past week at the Challenger camp in Frisco TX. Her coach was Coach James and he was terrific with the kids. He took time to explain things to them and make them all feel a part of the group. My daughter loved the camp so much that her and her friends are already asking to come back to the camp in July. Again please pass the praise on to James and all of your other coaches and directors.

NORTH CAROLINA
Camp was AWESOME! I can't tell you how much fun the kids had. On Friday night, I took the guys out for dinner and then we went to a night club. They were a great group. I was wondering if it were possible to have James, Fraser, Frances and Oli back next year. I'm sure there is some rotation or some way that you send them out, but those four were awesome. My kids loved them, the parents loved them, and me and my staff had a great time. Thanks for the whole experience. Next year, I will have a more active role than what I did this year. Thanks again, and I will be in touch.

FLORIDA
I just wanted to let you know that it was an absolute joy to host Richard & Jerry for coaching this week. They were a real pleasure to have in our home and have added a lot to our summer and to our family. Please sign us up for hosting coaches next year. Camp was outstanding and the coaches engaged the kids so well that I don't even think they
realize how much they improved over the week. It has been a great testament to the enthusiasm and professionalism of Challenger's camp. Let me know if there is anything we can do for you.

NORTH CAROLINA
My son, Calvin, attended this year's camp at the Western Park session. As like last year, he had a great time and enjoyed every day with the coaches and players. My son was highly motivated to do better and be better. He was always happy and looked forward to what the next day would bring his way.  I want to thank the 3 coaches (Dos, Rich; and I am sorry I cannot remember the other coach's name because he was with the younger children). Their encouragement and leadership made the camp a wonderful environment for the children. This is the second year with Coach Dos and as like last year, his positive personality and behavior had a huge impact on my child. I thank him for his kindness, enthusiasm, and leadership with these children. I look forward to next year's camp along with my son.


WISCONSIN
Scott Cameron is a fine young man, an excellent coach and was a wonderful house guest! He is an outstanding representative for your organization. Our six year old son; George, was thrilled to be in Scotts group. He learned so much about ball handling. I learned more from Scott in one week than I have from local coaches in five years, about different aspects of soccer, including what type of cleats the kids should wear. Scott knows everything about soccer! He is truly an asset to British Challengersports. We wish Scott could have stayed longer, the week went by so fast. We were hoping his next location would be nearby. Now he is headed to Bedford Indiana, then we understand he has a week off, and then don't know. If his travel brings him back this way, and he is in need of housing, he is more than welcome to stay with us again ANYTIME!

FLORIDA
This is our second year of hosting your coaches and it was awesome! Our coaches were Adam, Steg and Mark. They became little brothers to me and my husband and big brothers to our 4 children. On top of being excellent, entertaining and professional coaches, they were considerate and helpful in our home. If it is possible to nominate these 3 guys for oustanding professionalism, I would like to do so. We give them our highest recommendations.

TEXAS
Absolutely fabulous!!! It was a pleasure and an exciting experience to host a coach. We had a lot of fun. It was wonderful to get to know all the coaches and have an evening with all of them for dinner. Their coaching techniques were superb and they showed a supportive attitude for the children on camp, which undoubtedly helped them to develop further. All the coaches were an absolute treasure; Paddy, Del, Alex and Rob. They were extremely hospitable and adapted very quickly and easily to our family's routine and lifestyle. I can’t wait to host another coach next year!

FLORIDA
This is just a short note to express our appreciation for the Coaches during soccer camp from June 11-15. Our son, Thomas, experienced soccer for the first time. We would especially like to recognize and thank Coach Stephanie for her patience, dedication, and energy. She consistently supported and encouraged each child in a gentle manner, despite the short attention span of these 3-5 year olds. Because of her attitude, Thomas' first experience with soccer is a postitive one, for which we're grateful. He's now looking forward to becoming a "Mini-Kicker" at Space Coast Soccer in the Viera/Suntree area.  Also, if able, we'd love to host a Coach in the future, thanks to Stephanie's politeness and charm. We hope and ask that Stephanie will be recognized in some way for going above and beyond her required job tasks.

TEXAS
We had the pleasure of hosting Allan McMaster in our home this week. Just wanted to let you know that it was an incredible experience and we would be pleased to host a challenger coach at any point. My son Zach was enrolled in the evening program and had Andy as a coach. Zach is a very big kid, and Andy found ways to encourage Zach to the best of his abilities and never allowed him to feel second best because he was not fast or lacked coordination. Top notch coaches all around!  My thanks to your and your organization for allowing us to be part of "British Soccer Camp."

TEXAS
We had our second year experience with BSC. Coach Colin and Carl were outstanding leaders with the kids. They are unbelievable in their interaction with kids - knowing their name and strong encouragement every day. We encouraged 5 other families to join this year's camp - and everyone loved the camaraderie and British influence. Top, top, top marks to all of you.

NORTH CAROLINA
We had Oli at our house this week, and he was wonderful. He really became part of our family as the week progressed, and our daughter Ashlynn says she wants him to be her big brother now. He is exceptionally well-mannered, respectful, and easy going. From being willing to try any food I fixed for him (including grits) to being willing to go anywhere we wanted to take him, he was a joy. We really are going to miss having him around here. I really cannot say enough about what a great week this has been for us. I hope he enjoyed his time here as much as we enjoyed having him. Anyway, hats off to you and Challenger Sports for putting together such an amazing team of young men. The camp and our hosting experience far exceeded any expectation I had. We'll definitely be doing this again!

FLORIDA
May I first say that our two daughters Adrianna and Angelina had a fantastic time at the British Soccer Camp which ended yesterday in North Port, FL. The coaches that you provided our children with came in with great experience, techniques, knowledge and commitment to perform and teach, I also like that they played hard but also set time aside to relax and have fun with the kids attending. Myself and family would greatly appreciated the opportunity to host any of them next year, how do I sign up?

NORTH CAROLINA
My 4-year old son, Sam Weeks, just completed his first Soccer Camp at Western Park in Cape Carteret, NC, USA. Dave Kelly was his coach and was amazing with the kids! He has a wonderful, calm demeanor; uses humor and imagination to keep the young ones' attention; has tons (!) of patience and good energy. I just felt compelled to write and say thanks for sending us such a great coach. Would love it if he could return next year and see the progress the kids he influenced will have made...Sam, for one, is hugely excited about his first season of soccer this fall! This is a great program and all associated with it should be very proud of the young people who take their time to come over here and touch the lives of these kids! They are like rock stars, seriously!  Thanks for your time and we wish you continued success!

ALABAMA
Thank you so much for the AWESOME camp experience! I have been SO impressed with ALL of the services you have provided through your company! The Coaches Clinic was outstanding! And I will personally work on Marketing that camp in our area next year!  My children's camp experience is one that they will NEVER FORGET. The camp instruction by Sam and Thomas was exceptional and has made an immediate impact on all of our kids skills! I know that they will spread the word and come back again next summer. We enjoyed hosting Sam (Bradbury) and will miss him now that he is gone. We plan on trying to keep in touch with him and Thomas (Bull). We have also had the opportunity to become friends with the other Host Family which we will continue even after the coaches leave. I specifically want to let you know what a professional job both did with instruction and that Sam did with the administration duties. They were great communicators and really showed personal interest! Be sure to contact me if there is anything that I can do to help promote your company in our area! And we look forward to seeing you again soon!

TEXAS
I just wanted to express my thanks and satisfaction with my son's soccer camp experience this past week in Copperas Cove, TX. Coaches Adam, Rob, and Astin did a wonderful job in making the camp a very positive experience for my son and the other children. They were very encouraging to the children and always very ineterested with their development. This is my son's first year attending this soccer camp and it will not be the last. The end of camp report card is a great idea and I am very impressed. Please pass on this positive feedback and once again thank you for a great week of soccer camp for my son.

NORTH CAROLINA
We just wanted to give you some feedback from the week of Challenger Soccer camp in Kingsport, TN. To keep it brief- each year it just keeps getting better! The teaching skill of your coaches and their enthusiasm with the children was incredible. Many of the children (our daughter included) learn more in one week of British Soccer than they do in two seasons each year of our local soccer programs! It was an honor and a privilege to host Ian Dargavelij, Ryan McConnell, and Iain Golding. We truly enjoyed the experience and hope that we are given the opportunity to have your wonderful staff in our home again next year. Although another family hosted Laura Collins, we were able to spend some of her free time with her and enjoyed getting to know her as well. We miss them all! They are all welcome back to home anytime! What a great group! How lucky we are to have your program come to our area. This was our daughters third year at a Challenger camp, we look forward to many more. If there is anything we can do to help promote your program here in our local area please do not hesitate to call on us.


CALIFORNIA
British Soccer Camp is the best opportunity our young Chicoans have to learn the game by well-prepared, good-natured, enthusiastic and talented young men. Every aspect of their skills training is accomplished with flair and diligence, leaving each child with a smile and new outlook on a game they already love. The staff is an exceptional crew, not only demonstrating their excellent skills at the game, but wildly passionate at communicating those skills to our youth. Each day built upon the next and ran smoothly from start to finish. My children learned more skills with greater success during this one-week than what many coaches and three years of soccer have attempted to impart. The British Soccer Coaches should be commended for their enthusiasm, their minute by minute ability to adjust to the ever changing climate of teaching young aspiring soccer players and their deportment. In particular, one of the British soccer coaches, Brent Basterfield stayed with us during the camp period and might as well have been an ambassador for the whole of Britain. His etiquette, mannerisms, courtesy and friendliness were a joy to be around! If he represents what British Sport is about, then he and all of these young men are welcome in our home any time. My children constantly remind me that this was the "best" soccer experience they have ever had. In my eldest words, "I feel like I understand this game much better now." While my youngest simply stated, "I can’t wait until they come back next year." You have my support and my wishes that you return to Chico from now on, Chico needs this level of soccer, our children need this kind of international exposure, we need these young men to return! You have my grateful endorsement.

FLORIDA
I just wanted to write and say thank you so much for this program. Our daughter has been playing soccer with the YMCA for about 6 seasons (3 years) and the last couple of seasons has been losing interest & getting frustrated. She wanted to do the camp though, so we sent her, and her enthusiasm for the game has returned. The coaches were GREAT (coaches Fozzie, Jamie & Chris) and she really had a good time learning some new skills.

NORTH CAROLINA
we hosted Laura Collins for camp this week. What a great experience it has been! Our 8 yr-old son has played recreational soccer for several years, but we had not done your camp until now. We have been missing out! Hosting Laura is the highlight of our summer. We've made a great friend in England. She is delightful and a great ambassador of your organization. She was polite, funny, and very thoughtful. The week was great--she just fit right into our family and I must say we already miss her! She is a tribute to your camps, and thanks for the opportunity to host her. Sam's coach this week was Ryan and he was absolutely fantastic too! He seems like a natural-born coach. His personality is witty, funny and also very caring. I could tell that he cared about the kids and that it was important to him to make this week very special for them. My Sam learned a lot and had loads of fun, too. Ryan's evaluation of Sam definitely was not "cookie cutter"...I can tell that Ryan was specifically talking to Sam's strengths and weaknesses in a very constructive and kind way. I appreciate the effort and thought he put into each child.  Ben, thanks so much for setting such a great tone of excellence and professionalism. We are already looking forward to next year.

CALIFORNIA
Hello, my name is Robert Biehn, and I have just finished attending the June 11th-15th British Soccer camp in California City CA in the age group 14+. James(Who's last name I have sadly forgotten) was my soccer coach for the week, and he was the best soccer coach I have ever had. His skills were that of jaw dropping talent, and his patience with all of us, was limitless. He often stayed later in the day to help my friends and I who wanted to learn some of his soccer tricks, and also during the session pushed us to strive for better skills, even when we felt lazy. But, he never pushed us to far, any time we felt like we were lacking water, we would take a quick water break so as to feel refreshed again. None of us looked at him as super strict and annoying teacher, but as a friend and skilled one at that trying to teach and help us to go for better skills and practice. This was my third or fourth time coming to a Challenger Sports British Soccer Camp, and I hope to go again, and, something I did new this year was that my family hosted a Coach, and we all enjoyed it too. I ask that if there is anyway that James would be willing to come back and teach us next year, then that would make all of us in the 14+ group very happy, for we enjoyed having him as our coach. We all give him a up.

NORTH CAROLINA
We have just finished our third year of Challenger Camp, and it was great. It was my youngest's first year, and my oldest's 3rd year. Both of my daughter's had Coach Dave Kelly. And I just have to let you know what a wonderful coach he is!!!!!!! Emily (my youngest) just turned 3, and this was her first taste of soccer. She would wake up every morning ready to go out the door. She had a wonderful time!!! Catherine (my oldest) is another story, she loves soccer, but not large groups. So usually when they put all the groups together for an activity she wil not do it!!! However Coach Kelly was able to get her to do the activities!!!! No one not even myself can get her to do those things, so to have her trust him that much and to play with the group was a tearful moment for me. Its not often she trusts like that, and it takes a special person to accomplish this. As this is our 3rd year and we love this program, Coach Kelly is by far the best coach that we have had. Catherine even came to me and told me that he is her favorite of all her coaches. All the coaches were wonderful!!! And we look forward to next year. I just wanted to express my thanks and to let you know that you have a great coach in Dave Kelly.

NORTH CAROLINA
Ian, I wanted to take a few minutes to let you know how much I appreciated the time, effort, and patience you took with Ethan. He absolutly loved the camp and was eager to get up and go every morning. I was amazed at how much he learned and progessed in just one week. He did not improve that much through the entire season. He really loved playing the drills.  All of the parents were really impressed at how well you interacted and taught so many different age groups. As a teacher I know how hard it is to engage and teach such a diverse group of children. Again thank you for the effort you put into the camp--It was truly a success. I hope you will be returning to Linden for future camps.

CALIFORNIA
Dear Gilo, Claire, James and Matt, I cannot thank you enough for the outstanding Challenger Soccer Camp you conducted this past week in California City. I can only hope that your experiences will be as memorable as those you left behind in our community. Through your skills and wonderful demeanor you created an incredible positive and fun learning experience. You overcame extreme temperatures and both wind and at times stiflingly still air to incorporate a festive attitude into each of your activities. You came together as a fabulous seamless team, with each person bringing their own special and unique style of extremely positive energy. This was a special achievement for four coaches working together for the very first time. As such, you balanced out perfectly. I have created a CD for each of you with way too many pictures on it (over 200), but each represented to me the skills you taught and the festive celebration you brought to our city. To me, they flow like a log of all those memories you created. I hope you all have a wonderful summer in the United States with a string of successful camps to look back upon with great fondness. We appreciate you delivering our families such a high quality experience. Some of the pictures on the following page say it all to me. Please let us know what we can do better on our end. It is only by constructive feedback that we will grow to serve your needs better in the future. Take care and have a fantastic time in the United States.


FLORIDA
I just wanted to compliment the coaches you sent to the Naples Camp. All three of them were very energetic and enthusiastic about the sport. Our son had a great experience!!!
In addition Steve’s flexibility, respectfulness and friendliness made our first hosting experience great. Please pass on my compliments to whoever evaluates their performance as I believe it was truly phenomenal.

TEXAS
We just finished our week of Challenger camp and we had the privelage to host the two coaches, Paul Brown and Mark Donnelly. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for sending these two guys to us. We couldn't have asked for two nicer people. From the moment we met them, we felt as if we had known them. They treated our two boys as if they were their younger brothers and they fit into our family perfect. This has been a most heart warming and learning experience. We hated to see them leave on Sunday. Even after just a week of interacting and visiting with these two, we all became quite attached to them; a true indication of what fine and gracious young men they are. This is the third year our two boys have attended the Challenger camps, but our first year to host the coaches. They have enjoyed the camps tremendously in the past, however, this year was even more special having Paul and Mark with us the whole week. We look forward to the camp again next year and even more forward to hopefully hosting the coaches again. If we could have the same guys back that would be "brilliant." Thank you again for sending those two to our town and giving us an opportunity to be an American family for these two young men. They will always have an American home here with us.

GEORGIA
Hi! My three son's (no joke! LOL) recently attended the soccer camp in Tifton, GA. I just want to say THANK YOU for great program you have. The coaches were outstanding and absolutely great role models! I would love to find out more information on how to get a camp started in my town, Fitzgerald, GA. Again, thank you so much for making this camp possible. Please keep me informed of any upcoming events in the future!

FLORIDA
To whom it may concern, I just wanted you to know how pleased we were with the WCAA run soccer camp and the British soccer camp this summer. Our son is 7 years old and has enjoyed the programs as well as learned some valuable techniques. We would like to especially recognize the primary instructor for our sons group in the British soccer camp, his name is Mark. He, along with his two co-workers, are conducting a very good camp. I am very pleased to report that their interaction with the kids is tremendous. They were exellent in managing their time, with frequent breaks for hydration and snacks. Our son is looking forward to next years camps, especially the British Soccer camp. Please contact Challenger Sports and let them know how well their instructors conducted themselves and how pleased the students and parents were with their efforts.

NORTH CAROLINA
I just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed this year’s camp so much. I would love to have the same group of coaches come back next year…..they were absolutely wonderful with the kids. My girls absolutely loved the coaches. My youngest, Emilee (4), takes notions where she plays really well and then other times she wants to sit back and take a long break. Laura was able to get her involved and Emilee adored Laura. My husband and I coach both our daughter’s teams, so I was very impressed with how well Laura handled the mini group. I know how challenging that group can be. My oldest daughter was in Ryan’s group and she really loved him.

I talked with several of the parents and they absolutely loved this year’s camp too. I’ve actually had 3 different parents tell me that they might be interested in hosting a coach next year. The parents had a blast on Friday. For extra points for the kids’ teams, we had one dad in a kilt, one in a dress, one with pink hair, and a grandpa who came shirtless with the English flag across his (not so small) belly. The England team parents went all out because their team didn’t fair so well in the world cup games and even banded together to sing “God Save the Queen” to try and earn extra points for their kids.

NORTH CAROLINA
We just wanted to tell you how impressed we were with the British Soccer Camp at Warriors Path State Park. Our son, Ben, had a fantastic time. He learned so much last week. Ben's coach, Laura, was wonderful with the kids. She was enthusiastic, skillful and sensitive to each child's needs. The activities she did with the kids were age appropriate and very engaging. She is extremely talented and has a gift with working with young children. That was displayed on the soccer field. Not only did Ben learn soccer skills, but he also was taught some interesting facts about other countries. As Social Studies teachers, we both found that very impressive.

We will definitely encourage Ben to participate in a British Soccer Camp in the future if it should be available. Please pass on our praise to Laura and those who made this camp available to our children. Many Thanks!!!

TEXAS
I can not begin to tell you how much we have enjoyed this program. My daughter Tristan was part of the first kicks soccer program in Deer Park Texas this week. She has done nothing but talk about Coach Carl, Andy, and Sam all week, and she shows all of her friends what she has learned. On that note, I must tell you how awesome Carl, Sam and Andy have been. They always made sure all of the children were included and they were extremely thoughtful and caring toward the children. My only complaint is that the camp was over too quick. We would love to see the program come back to our area and possibly offer more sessions or longer sessions. Again, we have enjoyed Andy, Sam and Carl, you couldn't have sent us three nicer guys. They are amazing teachers and we hope to see them back next year.

GEORGIA
I wanted to e-mail you to let you know that, so far, I am very pleased with the Challenger Soccer Camp in Kennesaw. I have had the opportunity to share lunch with my daughter this week and see first-hand how the coaches interact with all the kids on and off the field. They all have been fantastic. Each takes the time to talk to the kids and if they see that one is being left alone, they make sure to include them so they don't feel left out. My daughter has been excited every day to go to camp. She is 7 and has been grouped with older kids, but the challenge has been wonderful for her. The older kids have been sure to include her in the scrimmages and even conversations at lunch. She has made several new friends and learned some new skills as well. I'm sending this because I think it's important to send along positive feedback, just as many think it's their right to send along negative feedback. Your coaches and your organization deserve the kudos. Well done!

CALIFORNIA
We were the host family for Lee Summerscales in Sierra Vista Arizona. We just want to thank you for a great week. Lee Summerscales was an excellent house guest. We had a great time getting to know him. This was truly a blessed experience for us. We are already looking forward to hosting another soccer coach next year, if we could get Lee back, that would be awesome. Anyways, it was a great week at camp for my son and a great week at home with Lee. Lee was awesome. Thank you.