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
EduKick offers International Football (Soccer) Academy Boarding Schools: • International Football and Education Academies • EduKick Pro Football Trial Courses • EduKick Spain Female Football Academy • EduKick Soccer Team Tours • Soccer Life Coach Consulting
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
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/
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/
Monday, April 28, 2008
International Soccer Camps - Building Intercultural Competence for the Next Generation
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 EduKick online at http://www.edukick.com to sign up.
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 EduKick online at http://www.edukick.com to sign up.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Check Out Our New EduKick Media Site!
Remember the blog we wrote a few weeks ago about soccer video resumes, where we urged you: "Show, Don't Tell"? When you're promoting yourself, you want people to see what you're made of, and sometimes you can't do that with a static page.
Well, it came to our attention that we needed to take our own advice. Who's going to get excited about EduKick if all you see on our website is a few outdated pictures and some boring text? We should be showing you what you can expect from an EduKick soccer camp, not just telling you about it!
The experience you get with EduKick isn't one that you can understand if you just read about it. It's something that you have to experience for yourself. That's the biggest reason that we've launched our new media site: EduKick Media at http://media.edukick.com.
Whether you're a parent or a player, you should have the opportunity to see recent photos and videos of any soccer camp, school or academy you want to attend. This way, you get a better visual of the program, and you're able to make a more educated decision about where to go.
The EduKick Media site features photo and video galleries, where you can check out personal player interviews, language classes, cultural excursions, social activity, housing, practices, and more. The site also offers a soccer blog page, soccer radio show, soccer press releases and editorials, and links to the EduKick social networking sites, including MySpace, Facebook and YouTube.
We want to make sure you see exactly what you're getting when you sign up for an EduKick camp. Our language immersion soccer exchange programs are some of the most unique programs in the world for young players looking to progress to the next level.
However, we need your help. If you're a current or former EduKick player and you have pictures or videos of your time at our camps, send them in! Chances are we'll feature it on the EduKick Media site.
So come on over and check us out! Visit http://media.edukick.com, and don't forget to let us know what you think of our new site!
Well, it came to our attention that we needed to take our own advice. Who's going to get excited about EduKick if all you see on our website is a few outdated pictures and some boring text? We should be showing you what you can expect from an EduKick soccer camp, not just telling you about it!
The experience you get with EduKick isn't one that you can understand if you just read about it. It's something that you have to experience for yourself. That's the biggest reason that we've launched our new media site: EduKick Media at http://media.edukick.com.
Whether you're a parent or a player, you should have the opportunity to see recent photos and videos of any soccer camp, school or academy you want to attend. This way, you get a better visual of the program, and you're able to make a more educated decision about where to go.
The EduKick Media site features photo and video galleries, where you can check out personal player interviews, language classes, cultural excursions, social activity, housing, practices, and more. The site also offers a soccer blog page, soccer radio show, soccer press releases and editorials, and links to the EduKick social networking sites, including MySpace, Facebook and YouTube.
We want to make sure you see exactly what you're getting when you sign up for an EduKick camp. Our language immersion soccer exchange programs are some of the most unique programs in the world for young players looking to progress to the next level.
However, we need your help. If you're a current or former EduKick player and you have pictures or videos of your time at our camps, send them in! Chances are we'll feature it on the EduKick Media site.
So come on over and check us out! Visit http://media.edukick.com, and don't forget to let us know what you think of our new site!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
How to Be a Professional Female Soccer Player
Over the past few years, the number of competitive female soccer players has increased exponentially. These exceptional female athletes are finally getting their share of the spotlight. One of these women may have inspired you to start playing. However, if you want to play soccer beyond the high school level, you may be unsure of how to do so. Here are a few steps that any aspiring professional soccer player should be taking.
Instructions --- Difficulty: Challenging
Step 1:
Practice, practice, practice The first step is the most obvious, and the hardest to do. It’s not enough to only attend training session twice a week with your teammates. Future professional players spend individual time with the ball every day to sharpen their skills and supplement their team practices. If you want to succeed in soccer, then you'll be practicing every day.
Step 2:
Attend soccer training camps By attending soccer camps taught by professional coaches, you'll have seasoned experts there to correct your bad habits as a player and teach you various new skills and techniques. Plus, you'll be playing with your soccer peers, who are just as dedicated to their soccer careers as you are. Never underestimate the power of friendly competition. In addition to attending soccer camps in your area, consider also an international soccer camp. These can range in length from a few weeks to half a semester, to even an entire academic year. Not only will you get the benefits of professional training, but you'll also have the opportunity to spend some time in another country with a different culture and learn a second language. To reach your dream of becoming a university or professional soccer player, you'll likely spend a lot of time traveling around the world to play. An international soccer camp will be a great introduction to that.
Step 3:
Update your soccer resume You might not think your soccer career is noteworthy now, but start keeping track anyway. Keep a record of every team you've ever played for. Track your statistics, the team's statistics, and every award you've received. Soccer resumes should also include an imbedded digital photo, your date of birth, height, weight, position, dominant foot, coaches' references and GPA for university consideration. Be sure to continue to update your soccer resume with current information year to year so that it’s ready to be forwarded to an interested coach, scout, agent, school or club at any moment. Don't think of it as bragging. Think of it as an honest assessment of the kind of player you are. When it comes to trying to play professional soccer, nobody's going to toot your horn for you. That's something you've got to do yourself. It's also a good idea to put together a soccer video resume or a highlight reel to send to university coaches or professional scouts who haven't had the chance to see you play. A personalized soccer video resume will effectively show what words and pictures cannot, and that may be the difference in getting a foot in the door.
Step 4:
Don't leave discovery to chance We all hear the stories about somebody who was just playing soccer in a park with friends when a professional scout happened by and signed them to a multi-million dollar contract. It makes for nice fantasy, but the chances of that actually happening are roughly one in 1.4 billion. You've got to get yourself out there. One way to do that is to attend elite soccer camps or high-level showcase camps, where professional scouts or football clubs will most likely be looking for fresh blood. Try to play in as many high-visibility games as you can, whether it's in college, at camps or in local competitive club matches.
Tips & Warnings:
Becoming a professional soccer player requires hard work and some good fortune, no doubt about it. But don't let that stop you. If you are truly determined to follow your dream of playing soccer professionally, follow these steps and play your heart out every step of the way. With passion, talent, and practiced skills, you'll become a force to be reckoned with on the pitch.
Resources:
Joey Bilotta is the vice president of EduKick, a soccer boarding school exchange program. Check them out online at: http://www.edukick.com.
Instructions --- Difficulty: Challenging
Step 1:
Practice, practice, practice The first step is the most obvious, and the hardest to do. It’s not enough to only attend training session twice a week with your teammates. Future professional players spend individual time with the ball every day to sharpen their skills and supplement their team practices. If you want to succeed in soccer, then you'll be practicing every day.
Step 2:
Attend soccer training camps By attending soccer camps taught by professional coaches, you'll have seasoned experts there to correct your bad habits as a player and teach you various new skills and techniques. Plus, you'll be playing with your soccer peers, who are just as dedicated to their soccer careers as you are. Never underestimate the power of friendly competition. In addition to attending soccer camps in your area, consider also an international soccer camp. These can range in length from a few weeks to half a semester, to even an entire academic year. Not only will you get the benefits of professional training, but you'll also have the opportunity to spend some time in another country with a different culture and learn a second language. To reach your dream of becoming a university or professional soccer player, you'll likely spend a lot of time traveling around the world to play. An international soccer camp will be a great introduction to that.
Step 3:
Update your soccer resume You might not think your soccer career is noteworthy now, but start keeping track anyway. Keep a record of every team you've ever played for. Track your statistics, the team's statistics, and every award you've received. Soccer resumes should also include an imbedded digital photo, your date of birth, height, weight, position, dominant foot, coaches' references and GPA for university consideration. Be sure to continue to update your soccer resume with current information year to year so that it’s ready to be forwarded to an interested coach, scout, agent, school or club at any moment. Don't think of it as bragging. Think of it as an honest assessment of the kind of player you are. When it comes to trying to play professional soccer, nobody's going to toot your horn for you. That's something you've got to do yourself. It's also a good idea to put together a soccer video resume or a highlight reel to send to university coaches or professional scouts who haven't had the chance to see you play. A personalized soccer video resume will effectively show what words and pictures cannot, and that may be the difference in getting a foot in the door.
Step 4:
Don't leave discovery to chance We all hear the stories about somebody who was just playing soccer in a park with friends when a professional scout happened by and signed them to a multi-million dollar contract. It makes for nice fantasy, but the chances of that actually happening are roughly one in 1.4 billion. You've got to get yourself out there. One way to do that is to attend elite soccer camps or high-level showcase camps, where professional scouts or football clubs will most likely be looking for fresh blood. Try to play in as many high-visibility games as you can, whether it's in college, at camps or in local competitive club matches.
Tips & Warnings:
Becoming a professional soccer player requires hard work and some good fortune, no doubt about it. But don't let that stop you. If you are truly determined to follow your dream of playing soccer professionally, follow these steps and play your heart out every step of the way. With passion, talent, and practiced skills, you'll become a force to be reckoned with on the pitch.
Resources:
Joey Bilotta is the vice president of EduKick, a soccer boarding school exchange program. Check them out online at: http://www.edukick.com.
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