Challenger Sports, we’ve been bringing coaches across the Atlantic to deliver summer soccer camps in the U.S. and Canada for 40 years. Behind each coach is a journey — not just of miles, but of preparation, passion, and personal growth. A huge part of that journey begins every spring in Warwick, England, where we host our annual training weekend. And this year, that weekend returned to full form — two full days of learning, connecting, and getting ready for the summer of a lifetime.

A Weekend That Sets the Standard

The Warwick training event is the heartbeat of our summer preparations — a place where everything begins. It’s where our full-time U.S.-based staff, many of whom once made this same journey themselves, reunite with their roots and help shape the new wave of Challenger coaches.

This year’s event marked a return to a full two-day format. That meant more classroom sessions, more field time, and more opportunities to connect — not just as coaches, but as a team. From high-energy drills and coaching clinics to a lively Saturday social and our coach awards ceremony, this weekend offered everything our coaches need to hit the ground running.

Alan Jones, Challenger Sports COO and one of our founders, puts it best:

“So proud to be part of an organization that helps develop young coaches who in turn will help develop young players and pass on Challenger Sports’ passion for the game and education.”

Why This Weekend Matters

Coaching on a Challenger camp is about more than just soccer — it’s about Igniting The Passion in young players, creating unforgettable experiences, and representing the values that make our programs so impactful. The Warwick weekend is our opportunity to lay that foundation and ensure our team is ready — not just tactically, but personally and professionally.

What makes this experience special is that we’re preparing our coaches for something very different than their club environments back home. Coaching on a camp in the U.S. or Canada means embracing a higher level of enthusiasm, adapting to new cultures, and understanding that they’ll be role models both on and off the field.

That’s why we do what we do — to make sure our coaches are the right people, doing the right things, in the right way.

Kate Gedzielewski, Regional Director for the Rockies and the Great Plains (heading into her 10th Challenger summer), shared how important these connections are:

“My favorite part of this past weekend was the socializing on Saturday night with our summer coaches and seeing the impact of this on the Sunday. Coaches had come out of their shells and were now friends with each other, and you could see their confidence increase because of this!”

Building Skills, Confidence, and Culture

So how do we prepare coaches for such a unique summer? It’s all about balance — a mix of technical development, real-world preparation, and team bonding.

Classroom sessions focus on session planning, safeguarding, expectations, and understanding the Challenger way. On the field, our staff and senior coaches lead practical demonstrations, facilitate peer coaching, and provide valuable feedback in real time. Off the field, it’s about relationship-building — getting to know teammates, managers, and the company culture they’re about to represent.

This is where coaching meets mentorship. It’s where first-time staff are guided by returning coaches, and where bonds begin that will carry through the entire summer.

Ben Jeans, this year’s “Mel Davies Coach of the Year” award winner, captured it well:

“The training weekend was excellent and really beneficial for both new and returning coaches. It provided a better and more in-depth understanding of what our roles and responsibilities would be in the summer.”

“I’m personally most looking forward to making some more amazing memories and experiences this summer through Challenger Sports — from host families to huge amazing camps all in different environments across the US. A stand-out to me is working with some of my colleagues from the previous summer.”

Ben Beer, our Head of UK Recruitment, added:

“The 2025 Training Weekend was such a success because of the hard work and dedication of the Challenger Sports staff that ensured that the coaches attending were looked after, had fun and learnt — meaning that the best version of every individual will be working for Challenger Sports on and off the field.”

“It was also a success because of the coaches that attended — their openness and willingness to listen and learn and their hard work and enthusiasm, whether they be first-year coaches or returning coaches, impressed all members of staff and I’m sure will impress host families, the kids that they are coaching, and the parents watching.”

How It Helps Our Camps — and Our Coaches

For Challenger, this weekend isn’t just a tradition — it’s a vital piece of our quality promise.

It gives our full-time staff time to meet and bond with the coaches assigned to their regions. They get to see them coach, understand their personalities, and make thoughtful placements based on age group, ability, and camp style. It’s a chance to build equity, trust, and a shared sense of purpose before the summer even begins.

It also gives us confidence. When we speak to parents, partners, and camp organizers, we can speak with certainty. We know that the coaches we’re sending out are trained, motivated, and ready to deliver an unforgettable experience — not just for the players, but for the communities they become part of.

Most importantly, it means our campers get the best of the best. Coaches who have already walked the fields with their peers, shared stories, learned new styles, and laughed over common nerves. Coaches who understand that to work at a Challenger camp is to do more than coach — it’s to connect, to inspire, and to bring people together.

And it shows.

Ask anyone who’s walked those Warwick fields — there’s a special buzz in the air. You hear the whistles, the laughter, the quick shouts of encouragement. You see young coaches finding their feet, absorbing advice, and pushing each other to improve.

It’s hard work. But it’s great fun. And it’s the start of a summer that changes lives.

Love the Game, Learn the Game

At the heart of every Challenger camp is the reason we do this — the kids.

Our mission is to help young players fall in love with soccer while building foundational skills in a fun and safe environment. Our coaches are trained not just to instruct, but to inspire. Every session, every interaction, and every moment on the field is a chance to help our campers love the game and learn the game.

This training weekend ensures our coaches arrive in North America ready to deliver just that — high-energy sessions that are fun, inclusive, and engaging. By preparing our coaches with the tools, mindset, and cultural understanding they need, we’re able to give every camper an experience that’s as educational as it is exciting.

Because when kids love the game, they want to keep learning. And when they learn the game, they grow — not just as players, but as people.

Pay It Forward

Are you reading this as someone who has lived this experience — whether with Challenger Sports or another organization? Maybe you were a coach, a parent, or even a camper yourself?

If so, we’d love for you to help someone else experience it too. Share this post with one person who might want to know what Challenger Sports is all about. You never know — it might just kick off their summer of a lifetime.

Ready to sign up for a Challenger Sports camp?

Use our Camp Finder to provide us key information on your child so we can recommend the perfect camp for you.

Prefer a simple search? enter your ZIP code here.