Challenger Sports Australia.

There comes a time for all travellers to role their sleves up and get down to some honest hard graft. It was time for the work to begin... Ok so coaching soccer in the sun for 3 hours a day to some of the politest and most well mannered children I have ever had the pleasure to work with isnt exactly a hard graft!

We had already enjoyed some fantastic hospitality from The Garretts in Northlakes and now it was to Camp 2, Moggill. A quiet week with only 12 kids, 2 coaches was really one too many but it led to a great week of quality coaching! The kids in this small and "out of the way" community were fantastic! Some real talent in this area. The next Ji Sung Park is on his way form Moggill FC in th eform of Ooyun Park (no relation and already better than the Korean shirt seller form United!) I was treated in Moggill to some wonderful hospitality, there was an evening of homelessness before a family stepped in to save my week! (Such is the poor organisation of challenger sports in Oz!) The Starrenburgs, originally from the Netherlands and now residents in Australia were extremely welcoming and I was certainly kept busy all week! Jayden (5) was the little boy on camp and in the afternoons it was one on one in the backgarden!! This was the venuewhere aome of my best work was done!! I really enjoyed my time in Moggill.

After the week was over it was back on the raod of uncertainty! Where next? Would there be a family to stay with? Would we even have transport?.. the answer to this question was soon to be found out. I was heading to Teviot Downs for camp 3, an evening camp.I was looking forward to keeping out of the sun and the intense heat of the Queensland summer day and enjoying the cooler evening. No there was no transport but there was a family waiting if I could actually get there! The lack of transport did however work to my advantage, I was abal to stay with the very lovely Barry and Margret Baldwin (Racehorse trainer) for the evening. This meant that I too was able to get up to watch the terrific game between United and Chelsea early monday morning! Awesome! A great start to the week in which United dominated and demonstrated their desire to retain the championship! I knew from this moment at 4.30am that this week was going to be fantastic! The ability of the children and also the behaviour here in Teviot Downs did not match that of the previous camps. The standard was poor and the lack of manners noticable, but having said this it was still a joy to be there. I was treated to the excellent hospitality of Tracey and Alan, 2 Kwis'. Its was an extremely relaxing week in which I did nothing but hang by the pool and watch tv!! Oh I did go for a run... And nearly died! The heat certainly sorts you out!!! The week was over very quickly and it was Sunday before I knew it. Teviot Downs was another "out of the way"area, without a car you would certainly be stranded.

Sundays, with Challenger Sports Australia is always full of event. It did at times become a comedy! Late pick ups, change of camp venue, no families, no transport all became the norm! At first this was annoying, but then it was just funny!!

Camp 4, final camp of the summer, was the best of the summer!!!! Toowoomba! Before heading this way I was told alot of stories about Toowoomba. Redneck country, hillbillys, cold, boring... well this couldnt have been further from the truth! Awesome! The kids were great on camp, the area was great, some fantastic views across the ranges, the weather was perfect! And to top everything off the families were fabulous! I stayed with the fantastic Broadfoots! Teachers in local high schools, fanastic people. So inspiring and helpful thoughtful and enthusiastic!! It was a great week. Loads of fun on camp, coaching staff I have to say were on form! All 3 of us! The week offered plenty, training with Toowoomba Raiders (the local soccer team) the mens side on monday and then the womens on wednesday. Awesome to be involved with a team and train. How I have missed that! I loved Toowoomba so much I have made plans to return, work and play soccer for the Toowoomba Raiders!!

4 fanastic camps over too soon! Challenger Sports Australia will continue to make progress and for the first time running summer camps I think overall it was a huge success. The camps in April promise to be something special...