Hamilton Accies are offering kids the chance to take part in their October football camp – but spaces are filling up fast.
The New Douglas Park club held a summer camp from six weeks, which proved to be so successful that many of the kids involved in that were eager to sign up for the forthcoming programme.
Accies’ October camp is for kids aged five to 12, runs from October 14 to 18, from 8.30am until 3pm, and is £100 per kid for the week.
Coach Matthew Briggs says those taking part in the camp will have fun, meet current first-team players, and could end up on the pathway themselves.
“We always look at it and ask people if their kid likes football, do they want to develop and have fun, and if that’s all a ‘yes’ then the camps that we do at Hamilton do all of that,” said Briggs.
“It makes a big difference having the camps at the stadium. Having the name ‘Hamilton Accies’, having the stadium, and the kids coming in get to see professional players, get a photo with them, and at the end the players hand out their certificates.
“As a kid, you can go back to your friends and say ‘a professional footballer handed me this’ and that gives a wee boost and motivation for kids in general. We had summer camps and they were great. We had two or three weeks when it sold out, we couldn’t get any more spaces.
“In the weeks that we had not sold out, we got really good feedback. Speaking to the parents at the end, they all loved it. Most of the people that are coming in for the October camp have come in from the summer.
“I’ve had a lot of people speak to me, asking if they can get my details, so they can get straight in for the next camp, so it’s all going well.”
Briggs has been brought to the club’s successful youth academy and says there is always a chance that a talented youngster will be spotted.
He said: “We’ve had boys who have come in and done really well, that we have suggested, and they’ve gone on to do great things. There are scouts at Hamilton who go out to all these different teams, so there is always a possibility.
“My pathway is that i was coaching in the community and I got brought in to do academy work, and it’s not just for coaches, it’s for players, too.
“There’s always that chance that if there is a special player they could go up, because it’s tied to the club. That’s the next step, and it’s always a wee incentive.
“They also get to see professional footballers going about their day, seeing them train, and if they’re a supporter, or even have a soft spot, getting to see them outside of the pitch and speaking to them is always a big boost.
“Their lunch lines up with the players’ so they can meet Hamilton Accies players, get their stuff signed, and at the end we always bring two or three players up to help with the presentation.”
For more information call 01698 368650 or 07756 387518, or email [email protected].
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