SERIOUS SOCCER CAMPS - All Things Related to Soccer Camps for the player, parent, or coach.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SOCCER CAMP
For parents, the
decision to send your child to camp is becoming more and more complex
and time consuming in today's economy and emphasis on child safety.
The camp industry has grown exponentially over the course of the last
20 years with more target specific camps than ever before. The costs
range from inexpensive to the price of a used car.
With so many options we want to simplify the process for parents in order to offer better service regardless of whether you choose us as an option. After all, we only want those attending our camps who best understand what we offer and how it differs from other options, and if you choose a different camp we want you to find the best option available to suit your needs. All camps don't offer what we do and we don't provide what a lot of other camps are designed to do. So if you must choose - we are here to help you choose wisely - the more information you have the more confident you are getting what you want out of your camp experience for your soccer playing child.
With so many options we want to simplify the process for parents in order to offer better service regardless of whether you choose us as an option. After all, we only want those attending our camps who best understand what we offer and how it differs from other options, and if you choose a different camp we want you to find the best option available to suit your needs. All camps don't offer what we do and we don't provide what a lot of other camps are designed to do. So if you must choose - we are here to help you choose wisely - the more information you have the more confident you are getting what you want out of your camp experience for your soccer playing child.
FACTORS IN CHOOSING A CAMP
Below are some common considerations in finding the right camp beginning with safety, camp size, level of intensity, location, quality of staff and quality of curriculum among others.
A word about College ID Camps - We support and often recommend to players that they attend college ID camps in order to get a feel for the coaching staff, school environment, and location of the institution while also showcasing their talents for the coaching staff. Getting a first hand personal view of a school goes a long way toward the comfort level needed to make a secure decision about your future. If you plan to attend a college ID camp at a location other than a university you are interested in attending, then contact the coach of the schools you are hoping to be evaluated by and confirm they are planning to attend and their level of participation in the camp. Take it a step further and ask how many players they have recruited in the past from that particular camp.
Below are some common considerations in finding the right camp beginning with safety, camp size, level of intensity, location, quality of staff and quality of curriculum among others.
A word about College ID Camps - We support and often recommend to players that they attend college ID camps in order to get a feel for the coaching staff, school environment, and location of the institution while also showcasing their talents for the coaching staff. Getting a first hand personal view of a school goes a long way toward the comfort level needed to make a secure decision about your future. If you plan to attend a college ID camp at a location other than a university you are interested in attending, then contact the coach of the schools you are hoping to be evaluated by and confirm they are planning to attend and their level of participation in the camp. Take it a step further and ask how many players they have recruited in the past from that particular camp.
Safety
- All parents are concerned about safety at camp. Safety concerns
come in all ranges from the playing surface to insurance coverage, on
site security during camp, and the background of staff among some of
the biggest. Parents should ask, as they often do, about these areas
of concern. Check for a camp's policies about supervision, security,
and processes regarding weather. Don't be afraid to ask for a copy of a
camp's emergency plan.
Camp Size - The number of participants attending a camp varies from 10 kids at a local day camp to over 600 at some residential camps. Staff to student ratio is important regardless of the size of the camp. How the camp manages the flow of large numbers when you get beyond 90 players is specific to each camp operator and something parents should ask questions about. When going over 90 players the ratio might still be a good one but the quality of available soccer educators becomes a challenge for any operator. Large numbers can be fun in terms of the energy and excitement generated at large camp events featuring 100 to 400 players (or more); however, the effectiveness of that camp for your child will depend on what you are looking for as a return on your investment. Our philosophy is that once you go beyond 90 players it becomes hard for all players in camp to connect with each other and for entire staffs to connect with all those in attendance. For that reason our camps are limited to between 20-90 players with a focus on every staff member finding a way to connect with every player and for all players to connect with each other. This helps make the camp experience one that reaches beyond the specific quality of the soccer education and makes for a more personal journey for each participant.
Camp Size - The number of participants attending a camp varies from 10 kids at a local day camp to over 600 at some residential camps. Staff to student ratio is important regardless of the size of the camp. How the camp manages the flow of large numbers when you get beyond 90 players is specific to each camp operator and something parents should ask questions about. When going over 90 players the ratio might still be a good one but the quality of available soccer educators becomes a challenge for any operator. Large numbers can be fun in terms of the energy and excitement generated at large camp events featuring 100 to 400 players (or more); however, the effectiveness of that camp for your child will depend on what you are looking for as a return on your investment. Our philosophy is that once you go beyond 90 players it becomes hard for all players in camp to connect with each other and for entire staffs to connect with all those in attendance. For that reason our camps are limited to between 20-90 players with a focus on every staff member finding a way to connect with every player and for all players to connect with each other. This helps make the camp experience one that reaches beyond the specific quality of the soccer education and makes for a more personal journey for each participant.
Level of Intensity - When it comes down to a
camp's ability to get the most out of your child's potential, it goes
beyond whether the camp is a rec, advanced, elite, or for the college
bound player. It comes down the whether your child goes into it with
the intention of competing against him/herself in order to find a new
level of play and get the most out of every exercise. Some
camps have built in mechanisms to regulate intensity while others leave
it to luck. For us we hire coaches who are good motivators and set
the highest standards, but more importantly, the entire camp curriculum
is designed around a theme to teach every player in attendance how to
regulate his/her own intensity and constantly train to get better... to
compete against him or herself... to reach outside their comfort zone
and set the highest standard possible.
Quality of Staff - The staff for camps can range from high school kids or college players to professional coaches. The bigger question for each parent is not the level nor age of the coaching staff but the quality of each staff members ability to communicate with your child's age group, motivate them, and an aptitude for implementing quality instruction based on finding teachable moments. The resume' of a coach's professional playing experience has nothing to do with that coach's ability to effectively teach soccer in a camp setting. I personally have observed top, and in some cases well known, professional players who tripped all over themselves trying to manage a large group of players and staff while also verbally abusing players in camp. The same goes for the win-loss record of coaches. Since winning is tied more to having talented players than anything else, the ability to motivate kids in a camp and present a curriculum that can make a big impact in a short amount of time is far different than taking a college/club team on a journey through a season to win a championship. For those reasons the quality of a coaching staff should be carefully looked at for a camp where you are looking for improvement of specific skills. Look for descriptions of each coach and key words that might indicate what each coach adds to the camp experience. Talk to those who have attended that camp in the past and ask questions about the staff they experienced.
Quality of Curriculum - Finally, the importance of curriculum must be examined. If a camp experience is dependent on the quality of the coaches, the coaches are at the mercy of the curriculum they are required to implement. Most all camps have a set curriculum that is designed by the camp operator and given to coaches to implement. This can create consistency in terms of what is presented regardless of the coach with which your child is grouped. Other camps have been known to give coaches a group and say "Go work on shooting" with very little guidance in terms of exercises. Our camp curriculum is unique in that it is designed around the concept that technique/skills must be combined with decision-making tactics in order to be effective. Moreover we are not constrained by a strict and prescribed camp outline which doesn't take into account the skill level of each participant. Instead each week's curriculum is uniquely developed for each program based on evaluating the talent, experience, and response of the players during each session. Each camp begins with a central theme and outline. From the outset of the first field session, the progress of players is evaluated and depending on the outcome the theme is either developed more intensely in subsequent sessions or the theme is expanded to the next natural progression. As many exercises as possible are taken to goal so that players experience real game like situations for decision-making and executing with proper technique. More importantly we utilize what each member of that camps coaching staff can bring in terms of their own experience, areas of expertise, and inspirational ideas that will create an effective experience of every player in attendance. Regardless of whether you choose Training for the Serious Player for your camp experience we hope the information provided will help you make an informed and responsible decision about your camp investment.
By George Sasvari
TrainingfortheSeriousPlayer.com
Quality of Staff - The staff for camps can range from high school kids or college players to professional coaches. The bigger question for each parent is not the level nor age of the coaching staff but the quality of each staff members ability to communicate with your child's age group, motivate them, and an aptitude for implementing quality instruction based on finding teachable moments. The resume' of a coach's professional playing experience has nothing to do with that coach's ability to effectively teach soccer in a camp setting. I personally have observed top, and in some cases well known, professional players who tripped all over themselves trying to manage a large group of players and staff while also verbally abusing players in camp. The same goes for the win-loss record of coaches. Since winning is tied more to having talented players than anything else, the ability to motivate kids in a camp and present a curriculum that can make a big impact in a short amount of time is far different than taking a college/club team on a journey through a season to win a championship. For those reasons the quality of a coaching staff should be carefully looked at for a camp where you are looking for improvement of specific skills. Look for descriptions of each coach and key words that might indicate what each coach adds to the camp experience. Talk to those who have attended that camp in the past and ask questions about the staff they experienced.
Quality of Curriculum - Finally, the importance of curriculum must be examined. If a camp experience is dependent on the quality of the coaches, the coaches are at the mercy of the curriculum they are required to implement. Most all camps have a set curriculum that is designed by the camp operator and given to coaches to implement. This can create consistency in terms of what is presented regardless of the coach with which your child is grouped. Other camps have been known to give coaches a group and say "Go work on shooting" with very little guidance in terms of exercises. Our camp curriculum is unique in that it is designed around the concept that technique/skills must be combined with decision-making tactics in order to be effective. Moreover we are not constrained by a strict and prescribed camp outline which doesn't take into account the skill level of each participant. Instead each week's curriculum is uniquely developed for each program based on evaluating the talent, experience, and response of the players during each session. Each camp begins with a central theme and outline. From the outset of the first field session, the progress of players is evaluated and depending on the outcome the theme is either developed more intensely in subsequent sessions or the theme is expanded to the next natural progression. As many exercises as possible are taken to goal so that players experience real game like situations for decision-making and executing with proper technique. More importantly we utilize what each member of that camps coaching staff can bring in terms of their own experience, areas of expertise, and inspirational ideas that will create an effective experience of every player in attendance. Regardless of whether you choose Training for the Serious Player for your camp experience we hope the information provided will help you make an informed and responsible decision about your camp investment.
By George Sasvari
TrainingfortheSeriousPlayer.com
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