Football Camp in England
York, United KIngdom (Manchester Airport / Leeds Bradford Airport)
- English countryside & Yorkshire Moors
- 10-17 years old
- 2 weeks overnight camp
- 200 campers per session
- cell phones OK
Learn to play better football on this ‘serious but fun’ camp designed to improve individual skills and awareness levels. Our aim is to make every aspiring footballer more skillful and to become a better team player.
Located amidst rolling green meadows and wooded countryside, the magnificent campus at Queen Ethelburga’s College (QE) is a 30-minute drive from the medieval city of York. The camp offers quite exceptional on-site amenities.
Programme Overview
Our Camp was a pioneer in the organisation of top class football camps in the early 70s. The high standards set then have continued to improve so that our popular and busy football programme is better than ever.
Coaching takes place for 3-hours every weekday morning on the state-of-art training and playing facilities close to the accommodation. The playing area and pitches have been transformed with a multi-million pound upgrade to the same standard surface as the Wembley pitch, home of the England national team. The pitches are maintained and prepared to top professional standards with the whole area boasting state-of-the-art floodlighting. Our coaching team uses the practice areas, 5-aside and full size pitches.
The players are divided into age and ability groups. The dedicated coaching team work hard and enthusiastically to develop individual skills and techniques. Towards the end of the morning session there are usually popular, short competitive games where players, their skills and team tactics are assessed and discussed. One of the highlights of the football camp is the much anticipated ‘Big Match’ when Campers play against the Coaches & Counsellors for the much-prized Camp Cup. Each camper plays in the brand new smartly designed version of the team kit.
Our comprehensive course covers:
Highlight - Visit to Manchester United or Manchester City
All Camp footballers eagerly look forward to the full day excursion to Old Trafford, the home of the world famous Manchester United OR the impressive Ethiad Stadium, the home of the current Premiership Champions, Manchester City. The visit includes the Museum, Trophy Room, Club Shop, dressing rooms and a chance to walk down the players’ tunnel and step on to one of these famous pitches. This very special day concludes with a visit to the superb National Football Museum in Manchester – the world’s biggest and best football museum! Visit the Hall of Fame, see some historic football memorabilia and test your skills, speed, reactions and accuracy. Take a penalty and see if you can score a goal!Camp Organisation
These specialist activities take place during the two sessions of the morning period of 3 hours – from Monday to Friday. For the rest of the day campers from all programmes come together for a variety of general camp activities.
The typical day is divided into four main activity periods with two sessions in the morning and two sessions in the afternoon. Campers are assigned to groups according to their choice of programme and then by age and/or skill levels. On weekday mornings all campers join the speciality camp that is chosen in advance.
During the first and second afternoon activity periods, campers in the English Language, Adventure and Football, Performing Arts, Riding and Golf programmes join together and choose from a wide selection of activities. Occasionally, due to the programmes being off site - Riding, Adventure and Golf campers may remain in their speciality camp during one or both of the two afternoon sessions. Then these programmes join the rest of the camp, choosing their activity from the exciting range available for the remaining session of the afternoon (see below).
All the activities are organized and supervised (at an average ratio of 1:6) by a carefully selected group of dedicated, experienced counselors who are fun, friendly, caring and there to ensure that every camper has a great time.
Accommodation and indoor amenities
- Open-plan apartments that usually accommodate four campers with a few larger 5-bedded apartments – all with air-conditioning
- Each apartment has en suite facilities with a walk-in shower, separate WC, a small kitchenette area, a sitting area and modern workspace
- Free internet and VOIP telephone calls at permitted times of the day
- Individual common rooms for the Yellow, Blues and Red age-groups
- Vast new ‘Atrium’ space for evening entertainment and "chilling out".
Facilities – outdoor and on-campus
The impressive sports and leisure facilities used by our camp are all grouped close to the accommodation or are set in the extensive grounds that surround the campus buildings.
- Air-conditioned Sports Hall with vast spaces for indoor sports PLUS state-of-the-art basketball courts
- Superb 25 meters heated indoor swimming pool
- Impressive air-conditioned theater with a large stage, sprung floors, quality acoustics , rehearsal rooms and 300+ comfortable seats
- ‘Muggles’ entertainment center with 3D cinema, Xboxes with 200 games and an array of digital games and music
- Outside are impressive new state-of-the art grass pitches that have been re-drained and leveled with a mix of real and synthetic grass. This spacious, professionally-designed grass playing area is modeled on the new surface at Wembley Stadium in London. The new playing area remains in great condition even in adverse weather. There is an array of spectacular floodlights covering most of this area.
- Artificial standard pitches for rugby, cricket and field hockey as well as outdoor practice tennis and basketball courts
- The celebrated ’Secret Garden’ with its impressive original statues and the Gardens – ideal for outdoor events, open-air meetings and BBQs.
Fresh, nutritious meals
Vegan, vegetarian and special diets catered for by arrangement
The fresh food, prepared in the state-of-the-art, hygienic kitchens, is presented self-service style, allowing campers to choose from the daily selection. Healthy appetites are well catered for!
- Efficient self-service counter with a generous choice of different dishes at each meal time – with substantial portions!
- Meals are taken together in the spacious air-conditioned ‘The Undercroft’
- Breakfast is usually continental style with a hot English breakfast once or twice a week and a typical American-style hot brunch on Sundays
- A vegetarian option is presented for each meal - with other diets available by written advance request
- Salad bar with fresh salad available at every lunch and dinner
- Fresh fruit and cold drinks are available at breakfast, lunch and dinner
- BBQ in the Secret Garden – once every week.
Evening Activities
The busy and exciting programme of evening events is a real mix of house nights for each color group contrasting with the spectacular, popular and favorite all-camp special nights. Here are some of our fun-events:
Carnival Night – Stalls, games, tricks and challenges plus the thrills and spills of some spectacular 'inflatables'
Mission Impossible - Camp version of this challenging game
Team BIG DAY - Fast moving competitive games, sports and fun team competitions
Talent Night - Mainly for the campers with some fun presentations from staff members. Always a great night!
International Night - Campers are divided into different country groups and work together to prepare and serve traditional dishes from around the world to the whole camp. Afterwards each group presents a sketch, act, song or dance, typical of the country they are learning about as part of a colorful and fun all-camp spectacular show
Pool Party - Supervised fun in the pool - with the evening divided into color groups
Last night Awards Night & Farewell Party Disco - with the presentation of camper-awards followed by a farewell disco-style party.
Excursions
Excursions and visits are an important part of our programme mission of "Education Through Recreation™."
Full Day To Manchester – Saturday.
Manchester with a visit to the extensive Trafford Shopping & Leisure Centre. Time for shopping in this large complex with restaurants, coffee bars, leisure facilities and most of the major UK and international shopping chains represented. Leisure activities include spectacular games and a possible cinema visit depending on what films are available and the ages of each color group.
Half day excursion to nearby York – Sunday
York - after a lazy late morning and lunch, there is time to chill-out before the afternoon excursion to York, less than half an hour away. There is so much to see in this historic, walled city, notably the famous York Minster. Campers are divided into groups for the York Photo Challenge, encouraging each camper to explore, under supervision, many of the impressive buildings of this great city. There is time for shopping including the traditional shops in the ancient 'Shambles' area with its medieval buildings and cobbled streets.
Afternoon Activities
A choice of a wide variety of activities is offered each weekday to all campers after their speciality programmes have finished each morning.