Attention EduKick Friends:
Looking for play your favorite game in an exotic location? Teams in Europe, South America and Asia offer fantastic opportunities for soccer players. World-class soccer training programs in Italy, England, France, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and China have opened their doors to young players looking to hone their soccer skills.
Like any worthwhile goal, traveling abroad to play soccer requires preparation and planning. But you're used to hard work, right? If you're committed, you may find soccer opportunities you never dreamed of. You may come back with a whole new game, like Chris Musto, one of our EduKick players who recently had professional trials in Belgium.
For starters, you'll need a passport. If you're looking to spend only a few months in the country of your choice, you can get by with a North American passport. To attend a long-term soccer school program (90 days or longer), you have to apply for a student visa.
This is important because players attending our long-term study abroad soccer schools must also participate in educational coursework. This can be one of our affiliated high schools, language study at our affiliated universities, or, as in the case of Bolton, England, studying a BTEC certificate program in Sports Science. Those affiliated schools require a student visa.
To get that valuable student visa stamp in your passport, you'll need several things:
1. A "letter of invitation or acceptance" from the academic institution affiliated with the EduKick program you wish to attend.
2. Clean bill of health from your doctor and proof of compliant medical insurance
3. Letter of financial means stating tuition fees are paid
4. Bank account statements from your sponsor (parents or otherwise)
5. Proof of accommodation (a letter from the program directors stating your future address)
6. Supporting documents regarding means of transport and return (copy of return airline ticket)
If you're serious about long-term soccer training abroad, it's crucial to give yourself enough time to complete the student visa application process. This can take anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks to complete.
The earlier you start, the better. In some countries we find the visa application process more difficult than others. For example, we had a boy from Senegal who wanted to train in one of our soccer programs in England. We completed and submitted the visa application process two months before his arrival date, plenty of time (or so we thought).
However, complications arose at the consulate's office. They began to ask for more proof, more documents. We scrambled to get everything together. The initial application was rejected. We submitted the whole thing over again, and the second application was finally approved.
It took another four weeks before he could arrive in the program. That's an unusual case. Ninety-nine percent of the time, applications are accepted without incident. So long as people put the documents together exactly as instructed, the application generally goes smoothly.
If you're considering long-term programs, it's also important to have current academic transcripts and school records available. One of the criteria for acceptance into these long-term soccer training programs is to be both a serious soccer player committed to developing skills and a student in good current and past academic standing.
For the younger students still at high school, one of the things they have to consider when studying abroad in a high school program is that you won't automatically receive credit for those subjects you're taking abroad. Students must pass courses abroad with a 51 percent or better, and ultimately it depends upon the North American school to accept transferred academic credit from abroad.
For that reason, EduKick recommends that interested players and parents communicate with your home school before you leave. Explain what you're doing for the year. We'll supply the foreign curriculum of academic courses to be taken to help you get the agreement. The agreement basically states, "Yes, if you receive a passing grade, we will credit that."
Every year things change. The process is always evolving, so it keeps us on our toes. The consulates all have the same general guidelines, but each office has its own little quirks. They need a new document, or suddenly they don't allow people to apply by mail, etc.
We keep on top of international soccer travel changes on a daily basis. When our students call us, we have the latest information to assist them in fulfilling their dreams of international soccer training.
Whether you stay for a few months or an entire year, training with professional coaches in another country adds a pretty impressive mark to your résumé. Think the guys back home will have that? It gives you an edge, and in a sport this competitive, you'll need every advantage you can get.
Kick start your soccer training today with EduKick Academic Year Soccer Boarding Schools in Italy, England, France, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and China. Inquire at: 1(866) Edu-Kick (338-5425)
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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Nov. 10, 2008) - EduKick, a leader in academic year international soccer schools and language immersion soccer camps, introduces Travel Sport Camp (TSC) for other student athletes.
Non-soccer-playing students now also have the opportunity to study abroad through these international sports boarding schools, combining language immersion and academic study with daily training in tennis, basketball, volleyball, handball, cricket, cycling or even table tennis.
"We found that EduKick really filled a need with our yearlong international soccer boarding schools," said Joey Bilotta, vice president and co-founder of Travel Sport Camp. "We wanted to expand that to include other sports as well, and give non-soccer-playing student athletes the unique opportunity to travel abroad, learn a new language and culture while training daily in their favorite sport."
Bilotta and his business partner, Joe Coito, saw the need for international sports boarding schools beyond soccer. Travel Sport Camp was created to fill that niche.
Travel Sport Camp caters to student athletes between the ages of 11 and 23. Academic year sports boarding school options include tennis, basketball, volleyball, cycling, handball, and table and paddle tennis. Boarding schools are available in Mexico, Italy, England, Spain, and France. Travel Sport Camp plans for new venues in Switzerland and Canada beginning in 2010.
Students with Travel Sport Camp can look forward to the same quality language immersion opportunities that EduKick players receive. Travel Sport Camp also uses the same established directors and city venues as EduKick sports boarding schools.
"The partnerships that we've formed through EduKick have been immensely helpful in establishing these sports boarding schools," said Bilotta. "It makes us much easier to maintain the same level of quality in both sports training and language immersion."
It's not just sports training and a new language that student athletes have to look forward to. Students will be entirely immersed in the culture of the country they choose. The international sports boarding schools and camps, associated language classes or academic study, and cultural excursions foster "intercultural competence" (IC) for both high school and university student athletes.
"Empowering our children to broaden their perspective is crucial in our shrinking world," said Joe Coito, president and co-founder of Travel Sport Camp. "With the increasing trend toward globalization, our programs emphasize intercultural competence, the ability to understand and communicate clearly with other cultures. This is a vital aspect of the Travel Sport Camp international academy experience for our young participants.
"Students will interact with peers from all over the world on a daily basis. This international travel experience builds a level of intercultural competence that youth can only achieve by traveling outside their home country."
The academic year international sports boarding schools start in September 2009 and run to June 2010. Register to reserve your place today at http://www.travelsportcamp.com.
About Travel Sport Camp
Travel Sport Camp was founded in 2007 by Joey Bilotta and Joe Coito after the success of EduKick and its international soccer boarding schools. Bilotta and Coito are long-time business associates and good friends from Santa Barbara, California. Their goal: To bring the proven structure and excellence of EduKick to a variety of other sports. Today, Travel Sport Camp programs provide professional sports training combined with quality academic study , foreign language instruction and chaperoned cultural excursions in order to maximize a young player´s experience abroad.
Contact Information
Joe Coito, President & Co-Founder
Santa Barbara, Calif.
(805) 682-3500
info@travelsportcamp.com
www.travelsportcamp.com
Joey Bilotta, V.P. & Co-Founder
Toronto, Ontario - Canada
(905) 469-5661
Toll-Free: 1(866) Edu-Kick (338-5425)
jbilotta@travelsportcamp.com
www.travelsportcamp.com
Mason Hampel, 17, has been selected to be part of the French 3rd division professional team AS Cannes U18 squad; Mason currently attends the EduKick international soccer boarding school in Cannes, France.
CANNES, France (September 22, 2008) -- Mason Hampel, 17, has been selected to be part of the French 3rd division professional team AS Cannes U18 squad. Mason currently attends the EduKick yearlong international soccer boarding school in Cannes, France.
"We're very proud of Mason," said Joey Bilotta, vice president of EduKick. "He's an extremely talented player, and he will be a strong addition to the AS Cannes U18 squad."
Mason had already attended EduKick Spain soccer boarding school when he contacted the head office this March. He was in Europe vacationing with his family, and he wondered if there were any EduKick opportunities in France. When he found out about the EduKick soccer boarding school in Cannes, he asked if he could make a site visit.
EduKick partners with former French National Team coach Michel Hidalgo to offer this unique yearlong French language immersion soccer boarding school located in the French Riviera. Mason stayed at the International College of Cannes, where EduKick's French soccer boarding school students live and receive their French language study on a daily basis.
During Mason's visit, Alain Aschbasher, EduKick France technical director and AS Cannes youth sector director, invited Mason to try out for the AS Cannes U18 squad.
"It is a huge, huge honor to be invited to try out for a professional team," said Bilotta. "It's something that only happens for our very best players, so we're always excited when somebody truly deserving like Mason gets chosen."
Mason arrived in Cannes on Aug. 18, ready for his first training session with the U18 French squad. During his first three weeks in Cannes, Mason has taken part in several training sessions, fitness tests and friendly matches. His performances made an immediate impression with the coaches, who have reported that they are very pleased with Mason's application and technical ability.
His amateur contract with the AS Cannes U18 squad will not jeopardize any future college eligibility.
"Mason possesses all of the attributes necessary to be a successful participant in EduKick's year-long soccer boarding school. He has tremendous athletic ability, academic initiative and drive, personal integrity and commitment," said Jon Morgan, general manager for EduKick.
"In just three short weeks, his positive attitude, dedication, and willingness to learn and adapt have made him popular with AS Cannes soccer technical coaches and EduKick France staff members."
"EduKick year-long soccer boarding schools are 36 weeks in duration, so you can imagine the effect this period of time can have on the technical development of young players like Mason," added Morgan.
Hear more from Mason here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1939241945800392072
Take the next step in your soccer career. Visit www.EduKick.com today and see what international soccer boarding schools are available.
About EduKick Soccer Boarding Schools:
EduKick provides intensive soccer training programs that also teach students about cultural diversity and foreign languages.
As professionals, soccer fanatics and fathers, Joseph Bilotta and Corey Zimmerman wanted to create programs that maximized the youth's time abroad. Their programs instill a sense of independence and pride through international travel, structured language study, cultural excursions, and daily professional soccer training.
Contact
Joey Bilotta
VP of EduKick, Inc.
905-469-5661
jb@educkick.com
www.edukick.com
http://media.edukick.com/
High school and university soccer players looking to train for a year abroad must act quickly to meet the July 30 registration deadline for EduKick's international soccer boarding schools in Spain, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, England, and France.
Oakville, Ontario (PRWEB) June 11, 2008 -- High school and university soccer players looking to train for a year abroad must act quickly to meet the July 30 registration deadline for EduKick's international soccer boarding schools in Spain, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, England, and France.
Students can travel to six different countries: Spain, France, Italy, England, Mexico and Brazil. The soccer development schools in all countries run from September to June.
"These international soccer boarding schools provide an opportunity for kids to broaden their horizons in soccer, education, culture, and language," said Joey Bilotta, vice president of EduKick (http://www.edukick.com). "These kids return with technical soccer skills, confidence and experience far beyond their peers back home."
EduKick's international soccer boarding schools expose players to high-level, competitive soccer. In Italy, the boarding school students recently played a series of three friendly matches (as professional trials) against Italian Primavera Professional Teams. In Spain, the 2007-08 Madrid soccer boarding school team took first place in a Madrid-based international soccer tournament in the under-18 division.
However, that's not all. Students also experience complete language immersion as they train and attend classes at affiliated schools in their host country's native tongue. Although EduKick employs bilingual adult monitors, students are encouraged to speak solely in the new language for a more complete "immersion" experience.
"If you're living in a foreign country, the only way to get the most out of your stay is to completely immerse yourself in the language and the culture," said Bilotta. "The benefits that EduKick players gain from these soccer boarding schools are far more than just improving at soccer. They are immersed in the language and culture and establish friendships that will last a lifetime. But it's the acquisition of a second language that will ultimately most benefit our players."
Each EduKick international soccer boarding school partners with top coaching staff in the host country. In Italy, EduKick's soccer boarding school is headed by world-renowned Italian soccer coach Bruno Redolfi of Insegnare Calcio. In France, the school operates in association with Michel Hidalgo, the famous former French national team coach. In England, students get their daily coaching from the Academy coaches for the Bolton Wanderer's English Premiership football club.
"No matter which EduKick international soccer boarding school you choose, you'll be practicing for three to four hours every day under noted professional soccer coaches," Bilotta said. "We want our students to have the best academic and soccer education possible."
Bilotta urges interested players to register early in order to ensure they have their student visas and other documents in order.
"Student visas can take up to three months to process," said Bilotta. "Parents and students need to be aware of this and begin processing their application quickly in order to begin in September."
The registration deadline for all international soccer boarding schools is July 30, 2008, to begin in September. EduKick also offer half-year options that begin in January 2009.
Take a year to experience another country, learn another language, and hone your soccer skills and knowledge.
Sign up for one of EduKick's international soccer boarding schools today at http://www.edukick.com
See Edukick soccer boarding school photos and videos at
http://media.edukick.com/
About EduKick, Inc.:
EduKick's provides intensive soccer development training programs that also teach students about cultural diversity and foreign languages.
As professionals, soccer fanatics and fathers, Joseph Bilotta and Corey Zimmerman wanted to create programs that maximized the youth's time abroad; instilling a sense of independence and pride through experiencing international travel, structured language study, cultural excursions, and daily professional soccer training.
Oakville, Ontario (PRWEB) June 5, 2008 -- The deadline for EduKick international soccer camps in Italy, Spain, France, Mexico and England is fast approaching. High school and university players looking to train abroad can register until June 20.
"Our soccer camps offer a once in a lifetime cultural experience," Bilotta said. "No matter which camp you choose, professional coaches and language instructors will be working diligently to help our players move their soccer skills to the next level in a full-immersion language environment."
EduKick's three-week international soccer camps (http://www.edukick.com) enhance both soccer and language skills. In all the camps, players train three to four hours every day with world-class professional coaches.
Soccer camp students also spend two hours each day in structured language classes with accredited native speakers. Each camp also includes two full-day cultural excursions to allow students to experience a new culture firsthand.
EduKick international soccer camps partner with top coaching staff in each host country. In Spain, EduKick's most popular venue, EduKick camps are run by Poli and Anselmo Aragones, nephews of the Spanish national team's head coach. Here, EduKick offers both a regular language immersion camp and an "elite" camp for more dedicated players.
In Italy, the EduKick international soccer camp is headed by world-renowned Italian soccer coach Bruno Redolfi of Insegnare Calcio.
"Redolfi is arguably one of EduKick's finest technical directors," Bilotta said. "He's a very serious trainer. He is also very nurturing with the group and spends a lot of time with the campers off the pitch, at their hotel and on excursions."
Players in England get their daily coaching from the Academy coaches for the Bolton Wanderer's football club.
The French international soccer camp (http://www.edukick.com) is operated in association with Michel Hidalgo, and the famous French national team coach even comes to visit the campers and spend a few days with them.
The EduKick soccer camp in Mexico is located in Puerto Vallarta, where they partner with the Codefut Soccer School led by technical director Armando Cosilion.
EduKick also provides bilingual adult monitors for student supervision and mentorship. Team players are not allowed to wander off at anytime, and everything is done under direct adult supervision.
"We send our own people to look after and supervise the kids," Bilotta said. "For the Spanish camps, we have a chaperoned flight from JFK in New York. Safety and security are top priorities for us and we're very proud of it."
The camps start July 1 and end July 20, except for France, which ends July 18. Spain and England also have a second camp that goes from July 21 to August 9.
Registration deadline for all summer camps is June 20. Don't miss out on the experience of a lifetime. Visit http://www.edukick.com to register today
About EduKick, Inc.:
EduKick's provides intensive soccer development training programs that also teach students about cultural diversity and foreign languages. As professionals, soccer fanatics and fathers, Joseph Bilotta and Corey Zimmerman wanted to create programs that maximized the youth's time abroad; instilling a sense of independence and pride through experiencing international travel, structured language study, cultural excursions, and daily professional soccer training.
You want your kids to have every opportunity to succeed in this world. You want them to learn self-discipline, how to be healthy, and to gain an appreciation and understanding for the world around them. The business world is becoming increasingly globalized. Intercultural competence, the skill which allows people to operate effectively in an international setting, is becoming ever more important.
What better way to ensure your kids are ready for the "real world" than to make sure they know how to navigate a variety of different cultures? And what better way to introduce them to the concept by using a sport they already know and love: soccer?
Soccer (or football) is the most popular international sport. Millions of people all across the globe eagerly play it and keep up with it, and international soccer camps bring students from every nation together.
Get your kids ahead of the game with an international soccer camp. Here's what to look for to make sure your camp is providing the most in terms of both soccer and intercultural competence.
Immersive language classes
If you're looking into international soccer exchange programs, immersive language classes are a must. These classes are taught completely in the native language of whichever country the soccer camp is in. The only way to truly learn a different language is to be completely absorbed in it. If your child visits Italy, he should hear nothing but Italian. If she's in Spain, she should hear Spanish 24 hours a day. These language classes should be as intensive as soccer training.
The younger your child is, the easier it is for them to pick up new languages. Some international soccer camps allow children as young as 10 to enroll, so if you really want to give your kids a good grasp of other languages, consider letting them enroll then.
Cultural excursions
Something that makes perfect sense in another culture may seem strange or rude to us. In some Hispanic cultures, for example, unflattering nicknames are commonly assigned to friends and associates, but at the same time they are not meant as insults. An example would be "flaco" (skinny) or "huesos" (bones), used when referring to slender people.
Check with the camp's director and see if your kids will get a chance to see more of the country than just the soccer field and the four walls of a classroom. Intercultural competence isn't going to be fully learned there. Students need to get out and experience daily life in that country and culture. They need to come to learn its slang and its quirks. An international soccer camp that emphasizes intercultural competence won't keep its students stuck inside all day.
Intensive soccer training
The best international soccer camps will put just as much focus on the "soccer" part as they do the "international" part. Practices should be held daily, or even twice a day, for at least two hours. Professional coaches should be teaching the students during these practices, and like everything else, they should be in the country's native language.
Give them the tools they need to succeed
You want them to have a well-rounded education that gets them ahead in the work force. They want to learn more about their favorite sport. With an international soccer camp, you get the best of both worlds. Your kids get the soccer training they want, and even better, they get an in-depth cultural experience that will put them ahead of the curve. Even if they decide on a different career than professional soccer, with immersive international experience, they'll always have the skills to outmaneuver the competition.
About the Author
Get your student athlete started on the path to intercultural competence today. Visit EduKick.com to see which international soccer camps are right for your child.
Joey Bilotta is the vice president of EduKick, a soccer boarding school exchange program. They host international soccer schools and camps in Europe, Brazil, Mexico, and China. Visit them online at http://www.edukick.com to sign up.
It's a shame to turn on the news every few days and see yet another story about how childhood obesity is on the rise. Physical education classes are cut as schools focus energy on boosting test scores. They're told to put healthier food in the cafeterias, but without exercise, they're only dealing with part of the problem.
This blog about the Take 10 Fitness program (http://education.families.com/blog/take-10-fitness-program) talks about some of the benefits and concerns that teachers have. The Take 10 program involves 10-minute lessons that incorporate both exercise and academic lessons. Sounds like a good idea, right?
The problem teachers face is that it takes precious teaching time to do activities like that. Instead of teaching for the full amount of time, they have to show the kids how to do the activity, make sure everybody does it correctly, and then get all the kids to calm down after.
This is precisely why sports are so important. Not only do they encourage a team atmosphere, but they also encourage movement and exercise! Just ask any of the students who have ever attended an EduKick international soccer camp. With daily 2-hour practices, you bet those students are getting into shape!
Combine exercise and education with the opportunity of a lifetime.
Visit EduKick.com to find out more about our international soccer camps. Call 1-866-edu-kick to inquire today!
We came across this great blog post at Mom Is Teaching (http://www.momisteaching.com/learning-to-interact-with-people-different-than-you/) that challenged the notion that home-schooled students lack the social skills of public school students. In it, the author talks about a friend she made through a job at a fast food restaurant, a boy who would never have given her the time of day if they'd met within the clique-filled halls of high school. The classrooms at the local high school are nothing like the real world.
You have to break out of your comfort zone to really learn to interact with a variety of people, and traveling is one great way to do that. International soccer camps especially will break you out of that zone real fast! You get exposed to cultures that you would never encounter in high school, except possibly through textbooks or videos. And that's nothing compared to actually living in another country, speaking another language, and learning another culture.
It's an especially good choice for athletically gifted home-schooled students. You don't have to worry about credits transferring, and home schooling allows for a lot more flexibility in travel than traditional high school.
If you want to check out some international soccer camps, visit our homepage at www.EduKick.com!
Winter's winding down, spring is almost here, and you know what that means. It's time to think about what soccer camp you'll attend this summer.
Will you just do a weeklong camp that's two hours away? Would you rather do a soccer camp at your local park? Or are you leaning toward the semester-long international soccer camp that will take you halfway around the world?
No matter what you choose, there are a number of factors you'll need to consider before making the decision on where to put your talent and your money. It's important that you find a soccer camp that meshes well with your personality and what you want to get out of your time there.
Here are some questions to ask yourself when you're looking for the perfect soccer camp.
Do they focus on the four aspects of skill development?
All intensive soccer camps should provide four aspects of skill development: strength and conditioning, technical precision, tactical development and sport psychology coaching. If you're serious about taking your game to the next level, then these four factors are vital in your training. If a soccer camp doesn't provide them, then you need to look elsewhere.
What's the most important thing you want to learn?
What you want to learn will weigh heavily on where you should go. If you want to master fundamentals, you're going to need lots of practice and correction to make sure you're not learning them wrong. Look for a camp that has a lot of coaches who will take the time to help you correct your basic skills.
On the other hand, if you want to learn more about soccer tactics, you're going to need a soccer camp that lasts a month or longer. Tactics only come by playing and making mistakes, something you won't be able to get out of a shorter camp. If you really want to just get in shape, look for a camp that focuses on conditioning and physical training.
Take the time to consider what you really want to get out of your camp, and you won't be wasting time or money when you go.
Can you take a look at the camp before you go?
Parents and players seeking a soccer camp, soccer school or soccer academy should have the opportunity to see recent photos and videos of the program. That way, they can gain a better visual and be able to make a more educated decision about the right soccer course.
If you're going to a camp for the first time, especially if it's far away, it's a good idea to see if there are any videos and pictures available of the soccer camp. Some soccer camps will have video and photo galleries available on their websites, which will give you the opportunity to get a good look at the camp. You can also run a search on YouTube to see if any former players have posted video of their time at soccer camp.
Pick the perfect camp for you
Soccer camps are an excellent way to hone your skills and gain valuable playing experience. When you're considering soccer camps, look at all the angles: what they provide, what you want out of the camp, and whether you get a chance to take a look at the camp before you go. Research all the soccer camps before you make a decision, and you'll make certain that you're getting the best camp for your money.
About the author:
Joey Bilotta is the vice president of EduKick, a soccer boarding school exchange program. They host international soccer schools and camps in Europe, Brazil, Mexico, and China. Visit them online at http://www.edukick.com to sign up.
