DAPHNE, Alabama—It was typically damp British weather on the Eastern Shore last week. But, “No worries mate.”

That just made it even more authentic for the 98 young athletes attending the Challenger Sports All British Soccer Camp at Al Trione Park in Daphne.

“It rained a lot, but we still had fun,” said Jordan Carter of Daphne who was attending her seventh annual camp. “You have to play in the rain sometimes, anyway, so we just played and did our drills and things. But we got out of there when it started lightening.”

The lightening was a very memorable introduction to Gulf Coast meteorology for chief camp director and instructor Daniel Fieldsend from Liverpool, England in the United Kingdom. He has run many camps in California for three years, but had never been in the Deep South with it's sudden, intense thunderstorms.

“British people are familiar with the rain, but not a lightening storm like that,” he said Thursday, referring to the afternoon and evening of July 18. “It just went on and on. Is it often like that? We always do our best to get all the time in that we can. And this has been one

of the best, most enthusiastic and motivated groups I've seen. But we may not get all of it in.”

The camp had part of one session canceled during the week, but managed to reschedule the rest for the mornings.

“Basically, what we do is teach British soccer or more precisely, (teach) the British approach to learning and playing the sport,”

Fieldsend said.

“I think what appeals to the kids here in America, especially some of the older ones who have done a lot of local camps, about our camp is that they want to learn more about the sport from someone who comes from a different cultural experience. And it works like that for us as well. We are also getting a different cultural experience. I'm still in university back home, so it's more than a summer job. For us, it's part of our education.

"The game is played, internationally, very much

the same all over the world. But there are different approaches to teaching it and, of course, I'm a product of the British system but I think it's a good system. Soccer is such an easy sport to do. All you need is a ball and some space and kids can have fun. We concentrate on

proper technique and mechanics, but it's all age related, too. We separate the young ones and older ones and teach accordingly. We play a lot of what might look like kids games to some parents or non-soccer people, but they (the games) are designed to promote skills that will help make them better soccer players and the kids love them.”

Carter, who will be a sophomore at Daphne High this year, said she has always enjoyed the camps but this one was special because next summer she will be over the 15-year-old age limit. The camp concluded with a full-speed match in which she scored both goals for a 2-0 all-camp championship win.

“Unless they have a camp for older players next year, I'll be too old,” she said. “But I think it has made me a better player. I always liked the coaches and I learned a lot. I just love soccer and want to get better at it. But it was really fun scoring those goals in my last camp.”

Her younger brother Josh, 12, also enjoyed the camp but also enjoys seasonal variety with baseball and basketball. "I like soccer and the camp is just a lot of fun," he said. "We get to do a lot of different things besides play soccer that's a lot of fun, too. But I want to keep playing baseball and basketball, too."

Joining Fieldson were assistant coaches Luke Burgess and Jordan Clarke. Challenger Sports British Soccer Camps are now in all 50 states and many Canadian provinces. Their next stop is a camp in Providence, Rhode Island.

According to their website, British Soccer is also scheduled to hold camp in Foley beginning July 30 through August 3 at the YMCA Fields at 2560 South Pine Street. Visit: www.challengersports.com or contact the John McClure Snook Family YMCA for more information.