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EduKick International Soccer Boarding Schools Offer Economic Alternative to Traditional Boarding Schools

Oakville, Ontario, February 20, 2009 -- In a difficult economy, high boarding school expenses are taking their toll on families. The 2009 launch of EduKick international soccer boarding schools offers an affordable alternative, combining high-level soccer training with unique cultural experiences for soccer players.

"It's not usual to see boarding school tuition range from $40,000 to $50,000 per year," said Joey Bilotta, co-founder of EduKick international soccer boarding schools. "For parents facing a difficult economy, that's a huge expense."

EduKick prices for full-year academic and soccer training programs in England, Italy, France, Spain, and Mexico range from $20,000 to $38,000.

Evan Tomasello, 14, found EduKick while looking for soccer camps in Italy.
"Evan originally wanted to go to a summer camp," said Karen Tomasello, Evan's mother. "But after looking into the program he felt the year round school and training was what he truly wanted."

Karen was very skeptical about sending her son overseas at such a young age, but she was impressed with the dedication to safety at EduKick's international soccer boarding schools.

"The entire experience went beyond our expectations," said Karen. "The communication was fabulous. I could email a question to Mr. Bilotta and get an immediate response.
"The supervision over the younger boys was outstanding; we had to fax approval for anything out of the ordinary."

When Evan returned after a year of training at EduKick's Italian soccer boarding schools, Evan's mother noticed the changes immediately.

"Not only did he receive exceptional training, but had the cultural experience of a lifetime," Karen said. "He came back speaking fluent Italian and has shined as a soccer player since.

"I would highly recommend the program to any young person who is serious about soccer. These guys really care about the kids in the program and want them to succeed.

"The support system since has been great. We requested college recommendations from Mr. Bilotta, and received them within just a few days."

Take a virtual tour of EduKick international soccer boarding schools at EduKick.com.
About EduKick, Inc.:

EduKick's international soccer boarding schools provide 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.

International Soccer Schools: EduKick Tips for Players Studying Abroad

International Soccer Schools: EduKick Tips for Players Studying Abroad

Are you really ready to study abroad at an international soccer boarding school? It's something you've been looking forward to ever since you signed up or thought of registering.

To get the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, EduKick directors recommend making the proper preparations first. Follow these tips to make sure you're ready for your study abroad academic year soccer program, and make sure you get full credit for it.

1) Make sure you get your passport and student visa.

First thing before studying abroad in a soccer boarding school: acquire or update your passport and your student visa. Start this process about six months before you go to allow ample time, just in case of any mishaps.

Although most of the time the visa process is pretty straightforward, there have been a few rare instances where a student ended up needing another piece of documentation at the last minute. If you've started the process early enough, then you have plenty of time to make any corrections necessary so you aren't scrambling at the last minute.

2) Talk to your school to make sure you're on the same page.

When you first decide to attend an international study abroad soccer program, talk to the appropriate person in your high school to work out credit for the courses you take while studying abroad.

You may have to share the foreign study curriculum and get your school's approval, or have them sign an agreement giving you credit for passing certain classes. This ensures you'll know where you stand with your school when you return from studying abroad in one of EduKick’s soccer schools.

3) Take summer school to make up the classes you'll miss.

Surround the study abroad soccer program with summer school two months before you leave, and two months after you get back home. The program runs from September to June, so you'll have July and August both before and after the program to take your summer school courses. This will assure that you don’t fall behind in academic credit.

Register with an online correspondence accredited high school, where you can study the key subjects that you require credit in online while abroad with EduKick. Through these accredited online High Schools, you can get credit from your home high school for the courses you do online. One that we recommend to our North American students is www.pennfoster.com. EduKick International soccer boarding schools and camps offer all students access to Internet thus making the ability to take online courses a reality!

With summer school before and after the soccer program, and two to three online courses while you're abroad, you'll be in a good position with your home school academically and won't have to postpone graduation to meet your requirements.

4) Train daily before studying abroad in a soccer camp or boarding school

It's imperative to make sure that you're physically prepared for a regular regime of daily training. Although you may think you're in good shape training two or three times a week, it's not sufficient to prepare for the strenuous daily training you'll be undergoing while at an EduKick international soccer camp.

Most students, unfortunately, aren't ready for the strain of being out on the pitch every day. EduKick coaches have seen unprepared players handle the training for only a week or so before their body starts to break down.

Ensure that you are ready by running, doing cardio, and working with the ball every single day. Vary your routine (ball work one day, gym the next), but get your body used to a good daily workout. This way, you get your body to the point that you can live with the tough physical demands of daily professional soccer development training.

Remember: discipline is a very important part of the program. This is your professional reputation as a player. You need to arrive on time for sessions and make sure that you are physically and mentally prepared for all the training.

Like many things, you'll get out of your EduKick international soccer school or camp experience what you put into it. If you push yourself both in the classroom and on the pitch, you'll come away with experience and skills far beyond your peers at home.

International Soccer Boarding School Player Lands Spot on French Professional Team

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/

Day in the Life of an EduKick England Soccer Boarding School Player

Show, Don't Tell! The Importance of Promoting Yourself in a Competitive Soccer World

How many times have you heard "It's not what you know, it's who you know?"
It's been said so many times it's starting to get old, but the point is that it's important to get out there and meet people in your chosen field, however you can. We all have heard, over and over, the importance of networking and self-promotion for when you want a job. But what you may not have heard much about is the importance of self-promotion when you're a soccer player.
If you're planning on pursuing soccer beyond high school, either by playing in college or by trying out for professional teams, you need to master the art of self-promotion.
Unfortunately, for a lot of people, this is harder than it sounds. When we think of somebody who talks about their accomplishments, we tend to think of people who are arrogant, conceited, boastful or braggarts, and we certainly don't want those negative words associated with us.
Repeat after me: I'm the best!
Look at it this way: You're going to be just one of hundreds, if not thousands, of other student athletes applying for that soccer scholarship or trying to get that trial for that professional team. If you don't talk up your soccer accomplishments, nobody else will, and that scholarship or tryout will go to somebody else.
So don't be afraid to let coaches, agents, scouts and soccer clubs know just how awesome you are. And don't just tell them. Find ways to make your self-promotion stand out from the crowd. Grab their attention and show them why you're the best player they've ever seen.
Get them your soccer résumé
When you're job hunting, one of the first things you do is create a résumé and cover letter. The cover letter is the first step to selling yourself to potential employers, and the résumé backs it up with a detailed listing of your experience and accomplishments.
When you're a soccer player, it's important to have a soccer résumé and cover letter that do the same thing. The object of the cover letter is to convince the coach why you're perfect for his team, or to convince an agent that he needs to represent you in attaining professional trials.
Your soccer résumé should back up your cover letter with your soccer experience and accomplishments. You need to have the teams you've played for on there, along with how well the team did during your time with it, as well as how well you did while playing for them. You also need individual statistics, like goals scored, points, assists, shut-outs, etc., plus any soccer awards or honors you've received.
It's also good to get recommendation letters from coaches you've played with, be it at your school or elsewhere. They can provide firsthand testimony to the kind of player you are, which can be invaluable for your soccer career.
If it's a scholarship or university team you're applying for, you may need to include some academic information, like ACT or SAT scores and your GPA. Because many universities have minimum academic requirements for acceptance, a coach needs to know if you'll even qualify to get into the university.
Modernize your soccer résumé approach
While a paper résumé is important to have, it's something that every other student athlete will have as well. You need to find a way to push your résumé out of the crowd. One way to do this is to include a video résumé or a highlight reel along with your traditional paper résumé.
Where your paper résumé will tell people what you've done, a soccer video résumé will show them, especially coaches who may not have had the opportunity to come and see you play. Plus, modernizing how you display your résumé will set you a cut above the rest. If you don't send in the video résumé with your traditional paper one, make sure that you include a note at the bottom that lets coaches know you have one available. A better idea still is to upload your video résumé to "Google Videos" and include a link to the video on your paper résumé.
If you've been involved with any soccer camps, see if they have videos of your playing time. If you're lucky, some camps or soccer programs may even help you create a soccer video résumé.
Don't hold yourself back from getting that soccer scholarship or scoring a chance to play for that professional team. Get started now making your soccer video résumé and highlight reel so that you can blow those coaches away.
About the author:
Joey Bilotta is the vice president of EduKick, a soccer boarding school exchange program. They host international soccer camps in countries as diverse as Mexico, England and China. EduKick offers all participating soccer boarding school players and summer campers the opportunity to purchase a Soccer Video Résumé while abroad with EduKick. See more information here:
http://edukick.com/soccervideoresumes.asp?cat=146

EduKick Introduces Video Résumés for Soccer Self-Promotion

EduKick, Inc, a soccer boarding school exchange program, has introduced video résumés to its repertoire to help students promote themselves in the competitive soccer world.

Oakville, Ontario (PRWEB) December 7, 2007 -- With technology changing the way people work, play and even job hunt, soccer players applying to universities or professional clubs need to modernize their self-promotion efforts. To that end, EduKick, Inc, a soccer boarding school exchange program, has introduced soccer video résumés to its repertoire to help students promote themselves in the soccer world.


"University and professional teams are inundated with calls and résumés from players wanting to get noticed," said EduKick Vice President Joey Bilotta. "The key is to produce a packet of information for the coach or decision maker, including a high-level video highlight summary and a professionally designed soccer video résumé. You need something that will grab their attention and distinguish one player from the rest."


Soccer video résumés provide an opportunity for coaches to see players in action; even if they haven't been able to come watch them play in person. Players should still submit a traditional soccer résumé, which includes information like teams played for, those teams' standings, and individual statistics like scores, assists, points and shut-outs.


A soccer video résumé adds to that by giving soccer players their own personal highlight reel, which can help grab the attention of coaches, scouts and agents.


"We hear all the time how important self-promotion is when you're looking for a job," Bilotta said. "For our players, soccer is their job. We have the means to help them document their accomplishments on the field in a professional DVD highlight reel, which they can then use to help them stand out from their peers."


For the past five years, EduKick has been giving high school and university soccer players a unique opportunity to attend soccer board schools around the world. EduKick's soccer exchange programs take students to countries as diverse as Mexico, Italy, China and England. Some EduKick players even get the opportunity to participate in professional soccer trials.


"With EduKick, you get an experience unlike any other: training abroad in a professional soccer school environment," said Bilotta. "And now our players don't just have to tell coaches or professional teams about it. They can actually show them with video what they did with EduKick and how they played while abroad with us in our soccer school."


For more information about EduKick's soccer exchange boarding schools and soccer video résumés, visit them on the Web at http://www.edukick.com


To see EduKick's Soccer video résumé web page, click here: http://edukick.com/soccervideoresumes.asp?cat=146


About EduKick, Inc.:

EduKick's mission is to provide intensive soccer development training programs and academic soccer boarding schools that also teach youngsters about cultural diversity and foreign languages. As professionals, soccer fanatics and fathers, Joseph Bilotta and Corey Zimmerman wanted to create programs that maximized the EduKick 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.

Show, Don't Tell! The Importance of Promoting Yourself in a Competitive Soccer World

Show, Don't Tell! The Importance of Promoting Yourself in a Competitive Soccer World

How many times have you heard "It's not what you know, it's who you know?"

It's been said so many times it's starting to get old, but the point is that it's important to get out there and meet people in your chosen field, however you can. We all have heard, over and over, the importance of networking and self-promotion for when you want a job. But what you may not have heard much about is the importance of self-promotion when you're a soccer player.

If you're planning on pursuing soccer beyond high school, either by playing in college or by trying out for professional teams, you need to master the art of self-promotion.

Unfortunately, for a lot of people, this is harder than it sounds. When we think of somebody who talks about their accomplishments, we tend to think of people who are arrogant, conceited, boastful or braggarts, and we certainly don't want those negative words associated with us.

Repeat after me: I'm the best!

Look at it this way: You're going to be just one of hundreds, if not thousands, of other student athletes applying for that soccer scholarship or trying to get an audition for that professional team. If you don't talk up your soccer accomplishments, nobody else will, and that scholarship or audition will go to somebody else.

So don't be afraid to let coaches, agents, scouts and soccer clubs know just how awesome you are. And don't just tell them. Find ways to make your self-promotion stand out from the crowd. Grab their attention and show them why you're the best player they've ever seen.

Get them your soccer resume

When you're job hunting, one of the first things you do is create a resume and cover letter. The cover letter is the first step to selling yourself to potential employers, and the resume backs it up with a detailed listing of your experience and accomplishments.

When you're a soccer player, it's important to have a soccer resume and cover letter that do the same thing. The object of the cover letter is to convince the coach why you're perfect for his team, or to convince an agent that she needs to represent you.

Your soccer resume should back up your cover letter with your soccer experience and accomplishments. You need to have the teams you've played for on there, along with how well the team did during your time with it, as well as how well you did while playing for them. You also need individual statistics, like goals scored, points, assists, shut-outs, etc., plus any soccer awards or honors you've received.

It's also good to get recommendation letters from coaches you've played with, be it at your school or elsewhere. They can provide firsthand testimony to the kind of player you are, which can be invaluable for your soccer career.

If it's a scholarship or university team you're applying for, you may need to include some academic information, like ACT or SAT scores and your GPA. Because many universities have minimum academic requirements for acceptance, a coach needs to know if you'll even qualify to get into the university.

Modernize your soccer resume approach

While a paper resume is important to have, it's something that every other student athlete will have as well. You need to find a way to push your resume out of the crowd. One way to do this is to include a video resume or a highlight reel along with your traditional paper resume.

Where your paper resume will tell people what you've done, a video resume will show them, especially coaches who may not have had the opportunity to come and see you play. Plus, modernizing how you display your resume will set you a cut above the rest. If you don't send in the video resume with your traditional paper one, make sure that you include a note at the bottom that lets coaches know you have one available.

If you've been involved with any soccer camps, see if they have videos of your playing time. If you're lucky, some camps or soccer programs may even help you create a video resume.

Don't hold yourself back from getting that soccer scholarship or scoring a chance to play for that professional team. Get started now making your soccer resume and highlight reel so that you can blow those coaches away.

Joey Bilotta is the vice president of EduKick, a soccer boarding school exchange program. They host international soccer camps in countries as diverse as Mexico, England and China. They also offer players a video resume to help them continue their soccer career after their time at EduKick. For more information contact EduKick!

Getting Ready for Soccer Camp

Getting Ready for Soccer Camp

Whether it's a day camp, a weeklong sleep-away camp or a month-long camp abroad, sending your child to soccer camp for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience for the both of you. Here are a few ways to ease the transition and help them enjoy the experience.
Involve them in the planning and the prep work.

Likely there are many soccer camps to choose from, so narrow it down by your child's needs and your budget, and let your child make the final decision on where to go. If that's not possible, then perhaps he or she can pick some of the activities or classes to take at camp.

Also, let your kids pick out some of the things they'll need for camp. Whether it's practice clothes and new shin guards or a toothbrush holder and face soap, letting them help with the planning and preparation will give them some control over the situation, and hopefully stave off the worst of homesickness.

Practice getting ready for new experiences
One of the scariest things about any first time at camp is that it's an unknown. Find out what will be new to your kids and help them practice doing it. If your kids are going abroad, buy a language dictionary and practice saying simple things like "please" and "thank you" and asking for directions. If they're just going out of town, spend a day over in the town if it's within driving distance. If you happen to know or learn some of the drills they'll be doing, practice those with your kids in the backyard or the local soccer fields.

New experiences are an exciting and sometimes terrifying part of soccer camp, but practicing a little before your kids go will make the adjustment a lot easier.

Talk to them.
Are your kids worried about camp, that they won't be as good as the other players? Are they excited? Both? Sit down and talk with them about it. Let them know that it's OK to have mixed feelings about going. Talk about homesickness, but be positive and encouraging about all the new things they'll learn and experiences they'll have.

If they're worried about keeping in touch with friends and family, give them some stationery and an address book, or a phone card so they can call. Or, try giving them a journal so they can write down their soccer camp adventures, and they can share it with their friends when they return.

And don't forget to have fun!
Scary as it may be, the first time away at soccer camp can also be a fun and rewarding experience that will have your kids begging to go back year after year. By taking a few steps to make the transition as smooth as possible, you can make sure they get the most out of their time at camp.

About the Author
EduKick's mission is to provide intensive soccer development training programs that also teach youngsters about cultural diversity and foreign languages. For more information about soccer camps and boarding schools, or to register for a soccer camp abroad, visit EduKick.com.

EduKick Pod Cast Interview - International Soccer Camps & Soccer Boarding Schools

Listen to EduKick V.P. & Owner, Joey Bilotta, describe EduKick Soccer programs on a recent POD CAST Interview...
http://www.xeal.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/21/soccer_summer_camps

Contact EduKick today to register for 2007 programs at 1-866-338-5425!

Where to Get the Best Soccer Training When it Really Counts

Although soccer is rising in popularity throughout the U.S., we could certainly learn a few things from the Europeans. North America loves soccer but Europe is absolutely mad for it. Because of soccer’s popularity it is highly competitive abroad and demands excellence, even in youth players.

Whether you’re raising a soccer star, or a child who is simply mad for the game, you know how important and challenging it can be to find the right soccer training. EduKick International Soccer Academy meets this challenge, exposing students to professional soccer training that is designed to be intense as well as fun and educational.

Beware of Bad Training

Youth players are at great risk from poor training practices by uneducated coaches. At the very least, victims of poorly coached programs will have wasted valuable time and money. Worse yet, because children and teens are still developing physically, they are prone to sports injuries from over training or incorrect technique. One injury from bad training could end your child’s future in the game and lead to a lifetime of problems.

EduKick soccer coaches are all licensed professionals. Many of them have played pro-soccer themselves at an international level. They strive to provide balanced soccer education, with equal attention given to strength and conditioning, game psychology, technical precision and tactical skills. The staff at EduKick is dedicated to delivering the highest level of soccer instruction in adult supervised, secure, safe, and nurturing environments.

What Experienced Will Your Child Bring to the Game?

Every player on the field has something to offer the team as a whole. Your child’s experience in the sport determines what he or she has to offer. At EduKick International Academy students receive quality training that is unmatched. EduKick players have an opportunity to scrimmage with other youth teams around the world and meet professional soccer players who are successful in the international arena. That sort of experience is hard to beat.

Quality Soccer Training Creates Success On and Off the Field

Research gathered by the American Sport Education Program indicates that participation in youth sports builds social competence and self esteem. Kids who train at higher levels develop a mature sense of responsibility, excellent physical fitness, a strong drive to succeed, and the emotional strength to cope with set-backs. By helping your child achieve excellence on the soccer field, EduKick helps them achieve excellence throughout life.

International Soccer Broadens Your Childs Horizons

In today’s diverse society, an individual’s appreciation for foreign languages and cultures can be a major advantage. EduKick provides full-immersion foreign language study and unique cultural exchange alongside excellent soccer training. Traveling abroad is an unforgettable experience that will enrich your child’s life. With EduKick, that experience can also lead to victory on the soccer field and the unwavering confidence to succeed at any goal your child can imagine.

To learn more about EduKick Soccer and Language Education programs, receive a free soccer training newsletter, or to register your soccer fanatic today, please visit http://www.edukick.com/register.asp?cat=66