ACCS to host camp featuring professional soccer players

Published 12:02 am Sunday, July 5, 2015

Chris Smotherman, center, scores a goal on Emily Williams while playing soccer with Briana Woods, center, and Jordan Parker, right. Adams County Christian School is hosting a soccer camp July 6-9 and the 13-16. (Sam Gause / The Natchez Democrat)

Chris Smotherman, center, scores a goal on Emily Williams while playing soccer with Briana Woods, center, and Jordan Parker, right. Adams County Christian School is hosting a soccer camp July 6-9 and the 13-16. (Sam Gause / The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — For the second year in a row, the British are invading Natchez. More importantly, it will be on the soccer field.

“We are having the second annual British Pro Challenger soccer camp,” said organizer and Adams County Christian School head soccer coach Jimmy Allgood. “We have professional soccer players, both from England, coming back. Last year we had a mixture of boys and girls and that is what we are doing again this year.”

The camp begins Monday and will offer a variety of teachings from highly trained professionals.

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“July 6-9 is our boys and girls grades 6-12 camp, and those sessions are from 9 a.m. until noon,” Allgood said. “Then, the second week, we will have age 4 through sixth grade and there are two different sessions. In the mornings we will have a session at ACCS from 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. and then in the afternoon from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Concordia Recreational soccer fields.”

Allgood said the highlight of the week, though, will be on both Thursdays.

“Thursday is our VIP day,” Allgood said. “VIP is for our special needs kids and adults in the Miss-Lou, and they are invited to come out for a free day to hang out with the soccer pros.”

Allgood said last year was a huge success, and he is hoping the camp will continue to be.

“Year one was amazing,” he said. “There was a total of about 38 kids from all around the Miss-Lou and even from other towns.”

Allgood said the camp is a bargain compared to some others around.

“The older kids camp is $115 for the week and the younger kids camp is $60 for the week,” he said. “If a kid cannot be there for the whole week, they work with us by pro-rating days. Both of the camps also come with a free t-shirt.”

Allgood said the discovery of the camp and bringing it to Natchez has been great in trying to make soccer grow locally.

“The year the ACCS boys played for the state championship, after only being a few years in existence, several stories were on the AP wire,” Allgood said. “And several of the guys from this organization ended up watching the state championship game on ACCS Live. Within a couple of days, I had a call from a professional soccer player from across the pond who was a part of this and said they wanted to find out more about Adams County Christian School soccer.”

Ultimately, Allgood said he hopes the camp will continue to raise awareness for the sport and attract maybe some new players.

“This is for all levels,” he said.

“This is for the kid that has never touched a soccer ball to the kid that is having aspirations of playing collegiate soccer. It is a co-ed fantastic camp, and we are super excited to be hosting this for the second year in a row.”

For more information, contact Allgood at redneckadventure@yahoo.com or call 601-597-6658.