Last week, the young participants of this year's SWG football holiday camp delivered top performances and full concentration despite the heatwave. From Monday 19 July, around 130 boys and girls between the ages of six and 14 really worked up a sweat for a week at the region's largest football holiday camp at the sports facility in Garbenteich. However, the holiday camp organised by the Junior Football Academy Mittelhessen and run by DFB A-licence coach and Stadtwerke employee Karl-Otto Mank did not only impress with good weather in 2010. "We were able to significantly increase our level of training once again this year," says Karl-Otto Mank, taking stock of the high-calibre team of coaches. The 20 coaches and helpers, most of whom are licensed, organised a training camp that was challenging in terms of football with intensive coaching.
Train like the big boys
The sophisticated training programme was designed by Thorsten Buß, head of the Junior Football Academy Mittelhessen and also an employee of Stadtwerke. The main focus was on different game variations in small groups to develop the young footballers' tackling skills. The programme of the Mittelhessen Football Academy also offered all-round technical training, focusing on dribbling techniques and improving coordination. Thanks to professional training aids such as ball rebound nets and swing pendulum balls, the young participants improved within a short space of time. The young goalkeepers also enjoyed their own training session under the direction of Ralf Diehl and Alexander Poth.
World Cup visibly motivated
The SWG football holiday camp was therefore not just a simple childcare programme during the school holidays, but a thoroughly performance-oriented event. "The World Cup has really awakened the ambition ofsome ofthe boys and girls," Karl-Otto Mank observed. "The kids really took part despite the heat. However, to be on the safe side, we brought the training session forward by an hour. The whole thing should be fun and not degenerate into a heat battle."
In cooperation with SV Garbenteich, the football academy also offered the players the opportunity to acquire one of the DFB football badges: the younger footballers were able to take the taster badge. For their successful participation in the training camp, the kids received a souvenir consisting of a jersey, shorts, socks, ball, certificate and badge.
The number of registrations this year shows just how popular the SWG football holiday camp has become. As a consolation for all those who were unable to get a place: There will be another chance to take part during the autumn holidays. That's when the football academy organises the autumn camp at the sports grounds in Linden near Giessen.