A team of young local coaches won the praise of the professionals at the end of the Sir Jack Hayward Grand Bahama Soccer Camp.

Work commitments meant that a number of regular helpers over the camp's eight-year history were unable to turn out this year and coach organiser Mary Woodside had to call up a roster of mainly late teens and early 20s.

They really stepped up and did a great job, according to Andy Edmunds, one of the camp's three visitors from the UK-based Football Association. Andy, plus his partners Alan Williams and Sam Griffiths, know what they are talking about - they returned to their full-time professional soccer coaching jobs on Monday (July 2).

"With so many young people attending the camp, there is no way you can make it worthwhile for them all unless you have a strong coaching team. The local guys and girls were outstanding. The kids seemed to really have a good time and we could see them improving dramatically soccer-wise but none of that would have been possible without the help we had."

Quite a few of the local coaches were themselves graduates of earlier camps and the boys' and girls' programs on the island. Some have since sharpened their coaching abilities helping with the girls' developmental soccer league run by Mary and her husband Donnie Knowles.

"We are really indebted to them all. It is a tough program, particularly in the heat, but they all did well," she said.

In all, 50 deserving or needy local children received free or supported places during the week-long camp hosted by Freeport Rugby and Football Club on East Settler's Way, Freeport. That was thanks to a record number of local companies and individuals who chipped in with financial support despite the tough economic situation on the island.

The week concluded with trophy awards. The winners were:

Overall Best Performer at Camp - Hugo Alnebeck

Overall Best Attitude - Edwin Cooper

Overall Best Camp Personality - Marissa Vietti

Group One (Youngest)

Best Player - Sydney Wells

Most Improvement - Adrian Busuioc

Hardest Trier - Kurante Adderley

Group Two

Best Player - Nicholas Wallace-Whitfield

Most Improvement - Dylen Cartwright

Hardest Trier - Kiana Wells

Group Three

Best Player - Tyler Feldman

Most Improvement - Chloe Hamilton

Hardest Trier - Elsa Alnebeck

Group Four (Eldest)

Best Player - Luca Borsetto

Most improevemnt - Alexis Hepburn

Hardest Trier - Jhalan Taylor

Pic Caption 1: The praise-winners, with the pro coaches in green shirts

Pic Caption 2: Serious business this soccer