The inevitable post-World Cup crisis is almost upon us: the children, bleary eyed and depressed, will reappear from a month living inside the TV. All will be gloom and doom. What to do when the last ball is kicked? Easy. Book a football holiday and let the kids continue the fantasy and show Michael, David and the boys how it should be done.
A number of tour operators have introduced children's football coaching courses into their holiday programmes over recent years. And while the children train, parents holiday.
Mark Warner
This year, Mark Warner has launched children's football coaching at its resorts in Lakitira and Paleros in Greece and San Lucianu in Corsica. Introduced by ex-England goalkeeper Ray Clemence, the course will be run by FA-qualified coaches for children aged 5-14 who can be booked on to a football-only programme or mix of football and tennis coaching. Social matches will also be arranged so mums and dads can practise their moves, too.
The holiday: One week with Mark Warner (0870 770 4222, Mark Warner) at the Beach Resort Paleros costs from £718 per adult, from £431 per child, including return flights, accommodation, full board (including wine at lunch and dinner), tennis and a variety of watersports.
The football: Five pre-booked, one-hour football sessions, mixing skills with matches, costs £30 (or £40 for the football/tennis mix).
Eurocamp
Eurocamp has been offering soccer clubs for three years, and has added sessions at a couple more sites this year. Until September 6, five holiday parks - three in Brittany, one in the Vendée and one in Picardy - now provide morning and afternoon sessions, Monday- Friday, for boys and girls aged 5-16, run by UEFA-qualified coaches. Numbers are restricted to a maximum of 16 players per coach, and the emphasis is on enjoyment while developing skills through a mixture of coaching, training and match action.
The holiday: Eurocamp (0870 3667552, Eurocamp) offers seven nights under canvas at Chteau de Drancourt in St Valery, Picardy, from £411 for a family of two adults and three children, including a Dover-Calais ferry crossing.
The football: The clubs are pre-bookable for £25 per child for five two-hour sessions (or £5 for individual sessions), booked on-site £35/£7. During the 2002 season, Eurocamp is also offering free taster sessions each Sunday for children unsure whether they fancy the full course. The company has introduced a free toddler hour session on Wednesdays, to provide fun for under fives.
Keycamp
Keycamp features UEFA-qualified coaching at five of its campsites in Brittany, the Vendée and Picardy.
The holiday: Keycamp (0870 7000750, Keycamp) offers 12-night tent holidays from £555 per family (from £803 in a mobile home), including Dover-Calais ferry crossings, Harry's Garden play area for toddlers, and Fun Station children's clubs for non-footballing children. Other facilities on site include a tropical waterpark, 18-hole golf course, archery and carp fishing.
The football: Children aged 5-16 may attend on a weekly basis or by the day, at £5 per session or £25 for the week if pre-booked (£7/£35 if booked on site). The courses include two daily sessions - morning and afternoon - and incorporate all aspects of training and match playing. Like Eurocamp, Keycamp also features free weekly taster sessions and free toddler sessions on Wednesdays.
Haven Europe
Until mid-September, Haven Europe will operate football-coaching programmes at eight of its French parks in Charente Maritime, Aquitaine, Brittany, Vendée, and Languedoc.
The holiday: Haven Europe (0870 2427777, Haven Europe) offers self-drive, fly-drive and multi-centre options. Seven nights' self-catering in a Europa mobile home costs from £507 for a family of two adults and up to three children, including short-sea ferry crossing.
The football: For a pre-bookable price of £25 per child for five, two-hour sessions, 5-16s can be taught ball skills, team play and tactics (climaxing in matches and a World Cup tournament) by a specialist sports-coaching company. Special goalkeeping sessions have been created with the support of Liverpool goalkeeper, Jerzy Dudek.
Cosmos
Last summer, Cosmos was the first UK tour operator to offer football classes for kids with the full backing of the Professional Footballers' Association. This year, it will again be featuring two-hour coaching sessions four days a week for 7-16s staying at hotels in Alcudia, Majorca during July and August. Kenny Samson, Kerry Dixon and Tony Morley are among the ex-footballers who will be running courses.
The holiday: Cosmos (0870 9084299, Cosmos) offers seven-nights' self-catering for a family of two adults and two children from £1,458, including flights from Gatwick departing July 20.
The football: The four-day football courses cost an additional £79 per child.
Thomson
Thomson has introduced five-a-side sessions in all its Super Sports properties in Majorca, Ibiza, Minorca and Gran Canaria. Futebol de Salão is a fast-moving Brazilian-style game for children aged 5-13, played with a special ball, placing great emphasis on exercises and drills. Coaching sessions will be running throughout the peak summer season, six days a week, so kids can burn off excess energy while learning some fancy footwork to impress their schoolfriends when they get home.
The holiday: Thomson (0870 2413157, Thomson) offers one-week's self-catering at Bonaire Hotel in Cala Bona, Majorca, from £555 per adult, £169 for the first child, £209 for the second) including return flights and transfers.
The football: Approx £3 per two-hour session.
Club Med
Special coaching will be available for the 8-11 age group in Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), Vittel le Parc (France), Kamarina (Sicily) and Kabira (Japan). The courses run July 1- September 2.
The holiday: Club Med (0700 2582633, Club Med) offers an all-inclusive week in Kamarina, Sicily, from £815 per adult and £612 per child at the beginning of July, including flights, insurance, full board (with unlimited wine and beer at meals), sports and expert tuition, entertainment and other leisure activities.
The football: Five daily 90-minute lessons are pre-bookable for £28.
Center Parcs
Soccer schools for 6-14s run throughout the year at Center Parcs villages in Elveden Forest in Suffolk, Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Longleat Forest in Wiltshire and Oasis Whinfell Forest Village in Cumbria. The courses include tuition from a PFA coach and consist of a one-hour session on ball skills and a 30-minute game. Prizes are awarded for the best player, most improved player, the winner of a penalty competition and the best goal. The Whinfell Forest Village in Cumbria offers three-hour sessions.
The holiday: Center Parcs (0870 5200300, Center Parcs). A two-bedroomed villa sleeping up to four people at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest costs from £343 for a three-night weekend break, or from £345 for a four-night midweek break. A two-bedroomed Woodland Lodge sleeping up to four at the Oasis Whinfell Forest Village costs from £346/£355.
The football: Elveden Forest, Sherwood Forest and Longleat Forest provide two-day courses for £13, three days £17. The soccer academy at Whinfell Forest offers three-hour sessions on two-day courses for £30.
