Summer Camps 2016: All you need to know to beat the heat and keep the kids active!

Sport360 staff 11:15 17/06/2016
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  • Beat the heat and get involved in a summer camp!

    The summer is upon us and parents are now faced with the task of selecting the best place for their football-mad kids to have fun when school finishes.

    The range of choices in the UAE can be bewildering, with the summer camps market becoming bigger and better every year. We spoke to several experts to determine the top-three factors which should go into making your choice.

    Quality of coaching

    Inaki Beni – Football Academy Manager, Spanish Soccer School

    “Over time, the coaching programmes at Dubai Sports City have become a by-word for quality education from some of the best coaching staff in the region and our Summer Camp is an extension of that. SSSS is run by former Real Madrid and Spain legend Michel Salgado and a stable of UEFA-accredited coaches who have formerly been at clubs such as Real Madrid, Malaga, Getafe and Tottenham Hotspur.

    “The Football Summer Camp incorporates the skills taught to more than 1,000 kids at Spanish Soccer Schools into fun, exciting and engaging games.”

    A multitude of sports are available for kids this summer.

    There are plenty of sports available for kids this summer.

    Location, location, location

    JC van den Berg – Operations Manager, GOAL!

    “What is an advantage for GOAL Academy is that you are in the shopping mall. The kids are in a controlled environment, which is air conditioned.

    “The parents can do their grocery shopping while their kids are being entertained and learning something about football. After they finished shopping, they take their kids home and they pass out.

    “That is exactly what the parents like. I think that is where our big advantage is.

    Going the extra mile

    Chris Brown – Managing Director, It’s Just Football

    “It is really about caring for the players, at the end of the day. It is about making sure they are looked after properly.

    “We’ve just had a boy who has signed for Peterborough United in England. Andrea Borg has been with us a long time, and it is about making sure their best interests are taken care of on and off the pitch.

    “You develop strong relationships with the player and the family. Ability wise, you have to be very good, but you also need the determination and commitment to work very, very hard to reach that level. It is extremely difficult when you are over here, not playing week in, week out against the quality of player that they have in Europe.

    With the experts giving their opinion, here’s a look at three football camps taking place around the UAE.

    SPANISH SOCCER SCHOOL

    Spanish Soccer School.

    Spanish Soccer School.

    Cool off this summer at Spanish Soccer Schools’ exciting Summer Camp at Dubai Sports City’s Football Zone.

    Sports enthusiasts are in for an action-packed and fun-filled eight weeks of football coaching, games and football skill development, all inside the organisation’s worldclass, fully-air-conditioned Indoor Dome at the Football Zone. This programme has been created and developed by only the best internationally accredited coaches, headed by Real Madrid and Spain legend Michel Salgado.

    Whether you’ve always loved the beautiful game, are just starting to take your first footballing steps, or have always been a part of Spanish Soccer Schools, come June 2016, boys and girls aged from five-16 can experience a fun, adventurous and memorable eight weeks at the Football Academy.

    A multitude of sports are available for the third edition, including rugby, archery, dodgeball, plenty of water games and of course, football.

    All kids will also be provided lunch during the course of the Summer Camp, which is included in the registration fee.

    Programme: Summer Camp
    Venue: Dubai Sport City’s Football Zone
    Timings: Weekdays from June 26-August 18, 08:30- 15:00
    Rates: Dh250 daily, Dh1,000 weekly or Dh7,000 for eight weeks
    Contact: Call 04-4481555, email [email protected] or log onto www.spanishsoccerschool.com

    GOAL!

    Goal!

    Goal!

    GOAL!’s successful academy is taking a break for the summer, but the football action is not stopping in Dubai Mall or RAK Mall.

    During each school break, they organise Holiday Camps on weekdays from 10:00-15:00 (drop off from 09:00). Additional hours are also available after 15:00 for Dh50 per hour.

    Drills range from dribbling, passing, attacking, team work and shooting practices to tournaments, dodge ball, football disco, cone football, freeze football and ice skating. GOAL!’s philosophy is to ensure the children are enjoying their time, developing their teamwork skills while at the same time learning and staying active during school breaks.

    The age category for GOAL! is from four-12, with the smaller pitch perfect for those ages. There is usually 100-150 kids in the academy, with similar numbers hoped for during the Holiday Camps.

    Programme: Holiday Camp
    Venue: Dubai Mall or RAK Mall
    Timings: Weekdays from June 26-September 1, 10:00-15:00 (drop-offs from 09:00)
    Rates: From Dh200-2,400, with pricings for Dubai Mall and RAK Mall available on request
    Contact: Dubai Mall – Call 04-3882282 or email dubai.mall@ goaljunior.com; RAK Mall – call 07-2263773 or 050 1612966, email [email protected]

    IT’S JUST FOOTBALL

    It's Just Football.

    It’s Just Football.

    After their biggest and most successful camps ever, It’s Just Football are back for a fourth summer of action.

    The football experts are offering kids the chance to walk in the footsteps of recent Peterborough United signing Andrea Borg. IJF are putting on two programmes, with the Ramadan

    Football Camp running from June 12-23 and the Summer Football Camp going from June 26-September 1. With a motto

    ‘To discover how talent really kicks off’, both camps are engineered to bring out the best in the UAE’s budding footballers.

    The Ramadan offering promises to let kids aged four-16-years old learn exciting new tricks and skills in a fun, safe environment.

    With schools finishing early and with the summer fast approaching, this is a great way to stay sharp and get yourself ready for your summer activities.

    The Summer Football Camp follows soon after where players will learn new skills, make new friends and compete in competitions to win prizes.

    Programme: Summer Football Camp & Ramadan Football Camp
    Venue: Football Center, Al Quoz
    Timings: Summer Football Camp – Weekdays from June 26-September 1,14:00-16:00; Ramadan Football Camp – Weekdays from June 12-23, 09:00-16:00
    Rates: Summer Football Camp – one Day is Dh120, three days is Dh330 and five days is Dh500; Ramadan Football Camp – one day is Dh150 for a half day and Dh250 for a full day, three days is Dh400 for half days and Dh650, five days is Dh650 for half days and Dh1,000 for full days
    Contact: Call 04 348 3869 or email [email protected]

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