'The little knocks make you stronger'

CHILDREN'S SUMMER CAMPS:THERE ARE over 100 children on the pitches of the Associated Football Club (AFC) in Naas, Co Kildare. Ranging in age from six to twelve, the children – mainly boys – are divided into age groups and they are all practising heading skills.

Everyone is dressed in the An Post sponsored green jersey, green soccer socks and white shorts. “Each day we focus on a different skill – passing, dribbling, shooting, heading – through fun games and then we practise that skill in mini-leagues and matches. They’ll all improve by the end of the week,” explains Laura Carney, the head coach at this Football Association of Ireland (FAI) Summer Soccer School here.

There are over 300 soccer camps this summer with three to five camps in each of the 26 counties. “We had about 270 camps last year so numbers are up this year and we’ve made an effort to encourage more girls by offering them a discount if they partook in the Soccer Sisters Easter camps,” explains Barry Gleeson, national co-ordinator of the FAI Summer Soccer Schools. The schools started over 10 years ago with two camps.

Compared to many other camps, there is a big machine behind the organisation of these summer camps, with involvement of sponsors, local football clubs and FAI development officers. All coaches are Garda vetted, qualified and FAI certified to lead the camps. About two-thirds of the children at camp already play football with a club.

Louise Quinn, who plays on the Ladies Senior team for Ireland is one of the coaches. “I did two to three of these camps every summer when I was a kid and I played on the boys teams up to under 13 in Blessington, Co Wicklow. It’s great experience for me to coach here and I’ve good fun with the children.”

So, what do the children think of soccer camp? “My favourite part of the day is the matches,” says Peter (6). “It’s my third year at camp. We go over the same skills in a different way each year,” says Alex (9).

Ella (12) is one of the nine girls on this week’s camp at Naas AFC. “I love football. I played in the five-a-side primary schools competition and I play on the girls’ team here now. It’s my second year at camp.” Other children are keen to add their views. “I’ve already done Gaelic and hurling camps in Naas but I prefer soccer and Gaelic. Doing camp is better than being stuck in your house,” says Owen (11).

“Football is our passion. We play every Saturday in winter. It’s played all over the world,” says Eoin (11). When asked what teams they support, the names of international and national teams are shouted out: Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Shamrock Rovers, St Patricks.

Back at camp, Pat Behan, the FAI development officer for Co Kildare says the key is to make the camps fun for everyone. “If we get good weather it’s great, as sometimes it can be a bit wet underfoot, but we’ve only had to cancel one day in the ten years we’ve been running the camps here,” he says.

“Team sports are great for building life skills of giving and taking. The whole thing is that it’s not just about you, you’ve responsibility for the team as well,” says Behan. “Sometimes, you’ll play well and lose and it’s not fair but you learn to take little knocks and that makes you stronger as a person.”

Some places still available on soccer and goalkeeper camps throughout the country. Cost €99/ €69 per camp. See fai.ie or call 1890 653 653