Leeds United Foundation football camp returns for summer with goal to get kids active
The World Cup may have come to a close, but this summer soccer school has just started ⚽
As the summer holidays kick off, the Leeds United Foundation is delivering a fun series of soccer camps across the city for children aged five to 12.
The Summer Soccer School invites kids from across Leeds to build their football skills and develop new friendships in six-hour sports sessions led by qualified coaches at venues including the Grammar School at Leeds and Garforth Academy.
The sessions run from 9am to 3pm and children can sign up for either one day or a four-day camp.
Paul Atkinson is head coach at the Summer Soccer School and he has been involved with the Leeds United Foundation for over 28 years.
In each session, Paul said the young participants come with an “infectious enthusiasm” as they’re ready to develop their skills and try something new.
“Hopefully they’ve learned one or two things,” Paul told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
“It’s about fun, but I think that kids if they develop more skill, more understanding and they get better at playing, then they get more enjoyment out of it.”
The Summer Soccer School is a mixed-gender camp which welcomes girls and boys alike to have a kickabout.
For Paul, this inclusivity is reflective of the wider growth of the women’s game.
He said: “Girls and women's football has really grown in the last 15, 20 years and it’s massive within the Leeds United Foundation.
“We’ve seen with the Lionesses - the skill level (and) the talent that they show is equal to the men’s game.”
One of this summer’s Leeds United Foundation Camp participants is nine-year-old Alice Hanney.
Alice has never been to a Leeds United Foundation camp before and though she found it “nervewracking” at first, she soon found her place as a goalkeeper.
She’s brushed off any criticism that girls can’t play football.
Alice said: “Just get on with what you’re doing and don’t be pushed down on what people say to you because you can just get up and you can do better.”
Another participant is fellow nine-year-old Brody Wright who has been coming to the Leeds United Foundation soccer camps for the past five years.
Alongside making strong friendships and receiving expert coaching, Brody finds the camp a way to learn more about fitness in a fun way.
“It’s just fun, you get to run around and keep fit and healthy.
“You get to move around, it’s engaging.”
At the Summer Soccer School, action is split into sessions lasting roughly an hour and 15 minutes These quarters feature exciting games to get kids activated, and small matches to hone their skills.
Each day is filled with tons of great goals and superb saves, before a medal is awarded to the ‘Player of the Day’.
Mystee Kearns, is the Sports Development Co-ordinator at the Leeds United Foundation and she said that it feels “really rewarding” to see participants return to the camp each school holiday.
At a time where school-age obesity is rising and there are growing fears of childhood social media dependence, Mystee sees the Summer Soccer School as a way to encourage kids to get active in an interesting way.
“It’s a great aspect for kids not to fall into that trap,” Mystee said.
“They can do things how we used to do it - go out and play football for a good six hours a day and be active as well.”
What stands out most to Mystee is the friendships children rapidly form at the camp.
“Obviously, they all love playing football and a lot of them are Leeds fans which definitely helps us (but) I think a lot of it is the social aspect.
“They talk about that they’ve made such best friends and a lot of them actually come back with friends that they’ve made on this camp which is really nice to see.”
The Summer Soccer School will continue at venues across Leeds until August 27.
Places available to book on the Leeds United Foundation website.