The Cranbrook soccer community will be experiencing a British invasion next week, when the Moir Park soccer fields host a summer camp organized by Kootenay East Youth Soccer Association (KEYSA).
KEYSA has teamed up with Challenger Sports, a soccer company that organizes camps across North America, to run a week-long session from July 15-19th, which will act, in part, as a fundraiser for the local organization.
The camp will feature a British coach flown to Canada exclusively to work with soccer programs, while coach Jamie Harrison, who has worked all season with KEYSA, will be leading the whole event.
The camp will include more that just work on skills and drills. Though there is a daily component of foot skill development, technical and tactical practices, each child will be taught lessons on respect, responsibility, integrity, leadership and sportsmanship.
Arguably the most popular part of each camp is the Camp World Cup, a daily mini-tournament that the coaches use to teach players about life, customs and traditions of other countries. Campers are asked to make up cheers, bring flags, dress up and learn as much as they can about the country they represent.
Camp spots are available for kids anywhere from 4-18 years of age, with costs ranging from $104 to $189. Each camper receives a free t-shirt, a soccer ball and an individual skills performance evaluation.
Anyone wishing to sign up for the camp can visit www.challengersports.com or contact Barb Eckersley at 250-420-1595 or email beckersley@cyberlink.bc.ca.