May 30, 2025 • 47 mins
In this bonus episode of Life Exchanged: Stories of Understanding, host Kelsey Ross speaks with Grant Hall from Challenger Sports, a leading organization known for its youth soccer camps and international coach exchange programs.
Grant shares the evolution of Challenger Sports—from its beginnings as British Soccer camps to becoming a program that now serves over 120,000 young athletes across North America. He explains how international soccer coaches are recruited, trained, and placed with American host families, creating meaningful opportunities for cultural exchange through sports.
Drawing from his own experience as a hosted coach, Grant offers heartfelt stories of the lasting friendships and family bonds formed during his time in the U.S. The episode also explores the growing popularity of youth soccer in America, the vital role of host families in international exchange, and what’s ahead for Challenger Sports as the U.S. prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How hosting international coaches fosters global understanding
- The impact of cultural exchange on families and communities
- Why sports are a powerful tool for intercultural learning
Whether you're a soccer fan, a potential host family, or someone passionate about volunteering in global education, this episode highlights how hosting through sports programs builds connection, empathy, and lifelong memories.
For more info on Challenger Sports: challengersports.com
For more info on hosting coaches: challengersports.com/host-families
For more info on YFU USA: yfuusa.org
Chapters
00:01:10 – Grant’s Background & Challenger Sports Origins
00:02:38 – The Growth of Challenger Sports
00:05:06 – Grant’s Personal Soccer Journey
00:06:29 – Challenger’s National Footprint
00:07:36 – Recruiting International Coaches
00:08:49 – Coach Training & Cultural Preparation
00:10:13 – Adapting to Different Skill Levels
00:11:15 – What Sets Challenger Apart
00:13:15 – The Hosting Experience
00:16:06 – Heartwarming Hosting Stories
00:22:15 – Celebrity Hosts & Memorable Moments
00:27:02 – A Tour Born from Tragedy
00:32:11 – The Impact on Coaches
00:35:04 – Why You Should Host a Coach
00:36:49 – Looking Ahead: The Future of Challenger Sports
00:40:19 – Cultural Differences & Final Thoughts
00:46:42 – Closing Remarks
Host: Kelsey Ross
Producer: Mel Dyjak
Director: Megan Michels
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:09):
All right, hello and welcome to this very special episode of
Life Exchange, Stories of Understanding.
I am your host, Kelsey Ross, andtoday we have a wonderful guest
here with us. Why did you tell the fine people
a little bit about who you are? Oh, good morning, everyone, and
thank you for that, Kelsey. Yeah, my name is Grant Hall.
I work with a soccer organization called Challenger
(00:32):
Sports. I've been working full time for
the company for 27 years, came over from Northern England in
the early 90s, coaching soccer over here and then full time in
98. I worked with the company in
many different roles, one of them heavily, very heavily
involved in our host family roles and other things I'm sure
you'll probably hear about today.
I reside in a wonderful Denver, Co.
(00:53):
So that's a little bit about me,Kelsey.
Wonderful and great. We're so happy to have you here.
I can't thank you enough for your time today.
And to begin, you mentioned you were with Challenger Sports.
Why don't you tell us a little bit about what Challenger Sports
is and how it began? Yeah, we are basically a huge
(01:14):
soccer organization involved with everything in the world of
kids soccer. We cover anywhere from little
tiny tight programs, from 2 yearolds in preschools up to college
programmes, taking kids on tour,college players on tour around
the world. The camps, our summer camp
business, our primary business, how the company started in 1989
(01:35):
under the name British Soccer. These British soccer camps are
pretty inspiring name the fact there's about four British guys
came over and started running camps in Kansas, moving around
small communities in the back ofa station wagon and it
progressed from there to everything in the world of
soccer. In 1997 it changed its name to
(01:56):
Challenger Sports. Had some big investment for some
American businessmen, took on a lot of full time members of
staff. I came on board in 1998 myself
having previously worked for another company and I say it
changed its name to Challenger Sports NM Really really grew.
At our peak pre COVID, we had about 120,000 kids all over
(02:18):
North America, Canada, Hawaii, everywhere.
We used to bring about 1000 coaches from Great Britain,
well, 900 about from Great Britain, about 100 from Brazil,
all staying with host families. And so yeah, we do everything in
the world of kids soccer. And so now we've got a bunch of
regional offices all over the country.
And like I say, I head up our Denver office, amongst other
things. Wow, that's quite a story, quite
(02:39):
a saga. You mentioned you came on full
time in 1998, but I'm curious about where your love of soccer
began and what got you involved with what is now Challenger
Sports. Yeah, like most kids in in
England, you grow up playing sport, rugby, cricket, soccer,
(02:59):
football, as we call it, obviously.
Yeah, I've just played football all my life.
I'm a little kid tap growing up in my tiny little village, my
elementary school with 32 children in the whole school, in
the class, the whole school. So we played, we had a fibre
side team from the school. You just play and play and play.
It's very, very unorganised. There's no organised, very
little organised practices and you just love the sport, you
(03:21):
support your team and that's kind of the way it is in many
countries in the world. And so I came over, I actually
came over playing with my university in Southampton
University in 1986 at the end ofmy freshman year and played down
in the Carolinas and Florida on a month long tour and were
hosted by universities down there, generally in their dorms.
(03:43):
And things were played, moved around and it were such an
incredible experience. I came back in 88 playing up in
up in New England, played at Yale and Cornell and a few of
those places. So that really opened my eyes as
to what was happening with the world of youth soccer in
America, the facilities, the amount of players playing, the
(04:04):
standard of the play, the standard of the coaching, and
you know, just just everything that people in America take for
granted in the world of college soccer.
I remember getting injured and Ihad my first ever ice bath and,
and, and proper electronic treatment on my on the thigh
injury. And it was like, wow, it was
just so much of where the sport was going.
(04:28):
And that really inspired me to to come back.
And in 1990, 2, after travellingaround the world, I came over
coaching on the camps like we run now.
And that's when my real commitment into staying in this
country, when I stayed with a lot of families saw at the youth
level where it was going. And, and then I was looking up
(04:48):
in 1998, like I say, to be one of the part of the expansion
plan with Challenger Sports. So yeah, it's been a journey.
Took me a long time to get here full time but I moved to Florida
and Tampa, FL in 1998 and ran out programs with Challenger
Sports. Then move up here to Denver 18
years ago. How that's wonderful, and it
(05:09):
sounds to me like Challenger sports is kind of all over the
country in North America. Where are some of your main
locations that some of our listeners may recognise?
Yeah, we, we've got offices in Southern California down around
the Carlsbad area, N San Diego County, North LA, Sacramento,
Chicago, Providence, RI is a bighub.
(05:32):
Kansas City has been our head office for for many years.
Atlanta, GA. We've got buddies in Baltimore,
here in Denver, Dallas, TX. The COVID impacted our business
like you would imagine, I think 13 offices in places like
Seattle and things, but some have closed.
But we're reading we're back up to about 35,000 kids this year
(05:53):
on our summer camps and bringingabout 300 coaches from
predominantly Great Britain overto run the camps.
But yeah, we run programs all over the country.
That's so cool. You've mentioned it a couple of
times. We have.
You have international soccer coaches that come in from all
over, particularly in Britain and come in coach in the United
(06:13):
States. How are these coaches selected?
How do they become part of Challenger sports?
Yeah, we we have a full time recruitment officer back in
based in England with a team of people that have worked for us
for many, many years, some of them over 2025 years.
And I was with them just a few weeks ago back in England and
they they recruit our coaches through anything from soccer
(06:35):
clubs to to universities to further education colleges all
over the have a recruiting program, coaches apply to
workforce. They have a a video interview
and then they have a field day interview and then they go to a
training weekend. We hire a big university in
(06:56):
central, central England and flya whole bunch of our staff from
America. We spend a whole weekend with
our staff doing everything on the field in the classrooms
because we may speak the same language, Kelsey, but we're
very, very different countries. And so there's a lot to educate
when these coaches come over andstay with families coaching in
different communities all over America.
So we need them as absolutely aswell prepared as humanly
(07:19):
possible. So we invest a lot of money
because if we don't have the best staff delivering the best
programs, these kids, we, we sell ourselves on the kids
having a phenomenal experience. And we talk more about that,
that the nitty gritty of the camps later, I'm sure.
But that's where our staff fly. Over 2 weeks tomorrow we'll have
(07:39):
about 3540 staff flying into Denver.
We've been meeting them, collecting them, putting them in
our hotels, doing a training dayhere.
So the training they get before they step on the fields with the
with the kids is, is, is second to none.
So we need to know that they're delivering our philosophies, our
coaching philosophies, the energy, the enthusiasm, it's all
(08:01):
about fun and coaching the kids,etcetera.
So, so yeah, it's very exciting.It's very.
Exciting. It sounds like it.
And yeah, so that's that's who the coaches are.
And you know, a lot of our coaches come back year after
year. And then we had programmes where
they actually stay on a longer term basis.
(08:21):
Each week in the summer, they move around from programme to
programme. For example, our region out of
our Denver office, we have campsin New Mexico, Utah, Colorado,
Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska.
So they could be anywhere each week and move around.
But then we have programmes where coaches stay for 18 months
and stay in communities and coach with clubs are they stayed
(08:43):
for a year. So we've got a number of
different programs, but wow, ourmeat and drink is our some
accounts. Sounds like it's a really cool
way for these international coaches to see a little bit more
of the of the States and get to experience what life is like and
all over the country. That's so incredible.
And how would you say that your coaches are able to cater in
(09:07):
their training and their skills to coach all these different
levels of and skill sets of players?
Because there's a wide variety of ages that you work with and
skill types. Yeah, absolutely.
You know, and I think I just mentioned we've got about 35
coaches flying in from England and some college players,
international college players are coming in that day.
(09:27):
That'll work for us. So we've got a team of 50
coaches here in Denver, for example.
You know, we'll have 185 weeks of camp with 6 1/2 thousand
kids. It's a big, a big program.
So within Challenge we've got different programs.
We've got the tiny tights that are taught, very small ones and
we've got the regular ones for more the recreational base.
We've got more advanced ones forkids who are like 8-9 and ten
(09:48):
who are looking to go on and play competitive.
Then we've got our elite camp programmes, we've got our
creative skills within those coaches.
When I know what camps they're going to, the nature of the
kids, we'll select from our poolwithin our Denver region and go
right. We need some higher level
coaches to go and work this programme.
We need some specialists with the little kiddies who are
really animated and fun and overthe top to do so.
(10:09):
We we select with them within our group of coaches and make it
as specific as possible. But one thing we pride ourselves
on, Kelsey is any good coach in many people's eyes, should be
capable of coaching at all the ends of the spectrum.
That's the ultimate goal. So a lot of our first year
coaches, we start them in that 789 age group and we train them
up and they develop year after year so they're capable of doing
(10:31):
the different levels. So it's a incredible experience
for these young coaches to come over and develop their skills
and learn from my experienced coaches and, and what have you
so. I mean it sounds like with not
only with your international coaching staff, not only with
the training for the coaches andjust all of the locations that
Challenger Sports can be found in.
What are some other ways that set that Challenger Sports sets
(10:53):
its apart itself from other youth organization or or youth
soccer organizations in the country?
I think what we do, we can caterlike I've alluded to from the 2
year olds to the 22 year olds. So we have the full spectrum of
coaching programmes. We've also got a sister company,
Challenger Teamware that does all the apparel and anything you
need in the world of soccer and they work with other sports.
(11:15):
My primary job within the coming, I'm the head of sales
for our international tours division.
I challenge the world tours. I was just in England 3 weeks
ago with a, with a high school group.
We go down to Brazil, to Spain, to Portugal on these tours and
take teams over and incredible experiences.
So we've got that part of us. We've got trainers work with
service clubs. So there's no other company in
(11:36):
the country that has the full spectrum of soccer programs that
we do and we can cater for any club's needs.
But I think from a, from a camp perspective, because an awful
lot of people running soccer camps and some phenomenal camps,
you know, but I think the way I've always told when I've got
in front of soccer boards or organisations, when they say,
(11:57):
you know, what's different, I say because our international
coaches bring that internationalelement to the programme,
whether it be from Columbia, like one of my colleagues, full
time colleagues here in Denver, one of my Spanish coaches, we
got on the ground here, Brazilian coach, English coach,
3 Irish coaches right here working for us.
Now wherever they're from, they bring that international element
(12:17):
to the camps, part of our camps.Every day we have a World Cup
tournament and the World Cup's coming to America in 2026, as
you're probably aware. So you'll learn more about that.
But we've done that. That's an integral part of our
curriculum. So the kids get split and they
get given a team. So let's see you on, you know,
the Croatian team. You get given homework every
(12:37):
night to research Croatian culture, the economy, the the
currency, the flag. The kids paint their faces with
the Croatian flag and they come and play, they dress in the
colours and we have a big final day on the Friday.
We have a World Cup tournament. The parents and families come
and then obviously with our coaches staying with the
families, with the kids, I wouldsay it is an incredible fun,
(13:00):
high energy soccer experience, but a social and cultural
experience as well. So we discussed the countries
that the water breaks and the kids come up and tell them to
show the flag. So I think that's a big point of
difference from from what we do.That is so cool.
I can't imagine what it looks like on these camps watching
(13:20):
these World Cups go on, getting a full education in soccer and
expanding their skills and learning all about a new culture
and country at the same time. I've never heard of anything
like that. That is so cool.
Oh my gosh, I'm so jealous of these kids.
Obviously it goes the other way for the coaches to learn about
America. You know, in my 5 years I
(13:40):
traveled to, I'm now in my 38th state, but I think I did 24
states as a working for Challenger in the working the
North American soccer camps whenI was younger.
So I went to a different region.So it goes both ways.
And obviously you know, Michiganwhere you are is very different
from Southern California where Iwork closely with the office,
etcetera. So it goes both ways in the
(14:01):
educational process. That's so cool.
How did hosting with Challenger Sports begin?
As far as I know, Kelsey, it's been an integral part of the
programme since that certain British soccer started in 1989.
When the guys, Peter and Paul and Alan, those guys came over,
I'm sure they stayed with families.
And ever since I came on board in 1992, that's all I've ever
(14:23):
known. It's all we've ever known.
And like I said, it's an integral part of our program.
We can, our business would not function if we're staying in
hotels every week. So it's just financially, it's a
huge part of programming. We are a huge debt of thanks to
all the families over the decades.
They've opened up their homes and it's it's a phenomenal
program. We'll talk, get into the detail
of it. But it's a week program where
(14:44):
let's say we had some coaches working in Denver this week,
they may be going to whirl and Wyoming next week or Las Cruces,
NM, they'll travel on the Sunday.
We'll have organized the host families.
We'll have organized a meeting place for where they meet in
that location, in that community.
Then they stay with the family for the week.
They've got rental cars, so they're very self-sufficient.
(15:04):
Just a case of we need somewherefor them to shower, somewhere to
sleep and some food. They can access the free
refrigerator. We, when I speak to the families
and when my colleagues speak with them, we don't expect them
to be catered for 100 and foot. It's like there's a
refrigerator. Help yourself the, the families
they do. They do get a free place at our
(15:25):
soccer camps or, or financial reward, not a lot, but to to
come to the expense. But no one does it for that.
It's, it's the experience and moving week from week meeting
different families in different communities in our Denver
offices somewhere. For example, we need 500
families to open up their homes to complete strangers.
And it happens every year. And it blows my mind how
(15:47):
generous the American public arein terms of doing that.
But it's, I'll, I'll, I'll, I'lltell you some stories about my
experiences. That is, that is our programme
and it's phenomenal, you know, and everyone does it for the
kids. It's all about the kids.
You know, our coaches make friends with the, with the, with
the families, the parents, but it's all about the kids and, and
(16:09):
for the kids to have a coach stay with them for the week.
It's, it's hard as adults to grasp how exciting that is.
I've lived and breathed it for five years in the 90s.
And when the kid comes to camp on the first day and they know
the coach, the other kids are like, wow, how do you know coach
and what is staying with me at my house or et cetera, et
cetera. It's really, really cool.
And our coaches, obviously, at the end of the day, they,
(16:30):
they'll take the kids out in thebackyard, teach them new soccer
things and hang out. They'll go and watch them go to
this pool or whatever they do. They interact with the families
and that sort of some of the experiences our coaches have had
every year, you know, just mind blowing, you know, because these
are young British coaches comingover and our country is very
different and it's the houses, Ithink the size of their houses,
(16:52):
the things that different, the biggest difference, you know, in
in we've. Heard that a lot too.
Everything's smaller and you know, you stay in there.
It's not every week, but it's, it's just there's so many things
that are inspiring. And like I said, so many of our
coaches return year after year after year because of the host
family experiences. And you know, I, I literally
(17:13):
spoke to a lady called Amy yesterday.
Now residing in Niceville, FL. It's her 13th year of hosting
coaches. It's just become an integral
part of their family that she had a four year old when they
started. That kid is now 17, but they
still love the coaches coming tostay.
(17:34):
So 13 years of opening a house Amy down in Niceville, FL a
legend. You know, it's, it's just, it is
a incredible experience for everyone concerned.
That's so cool. We, we have a few legacy host
families like that as well whereyou'll hear the name and they're
on their like 20th student that they're hosting.
(17:55):
And it's so cool just getting towatch that the family grow and
get to experience it over and over and over again and get to
learn about a new culture and customs over again and how
impactful that is. Have you heard any feedback from
any of your host families about what it's like for them to host
these coaches? Yeah.
I mean, we, we call and thank the families afterwards
(18:18):
obviously. And that's where we get the
feedback. And it's, it's just a very, very
positive experience. You know, a lot of, a lot of
families are working. It's all about the kids.
It's what the kids got out of it.
You know, that is that is the that is the overwhelming
feedback. And it's why they do it.
And it's why our coaches come over.
It's all about the kids. You know, our Challenger tagline
(18:39):
is putting smiles on kids faces and, and what have you.
I mean myself in 1993 came to Traverse City, MI.
I came to Saginaw, MI where you're based actually worked.
And Jim and Becky Weisbach I stayed with in 1993 and I never
forget staying with that family.But Traverse City became a
(19:02):
special place for me. All the families were wonderful.
But on that June night in 1993, I landed in Travel City with
five other coaches and went to the president, the soccer club
president house and all the other families were there with
my coaches. And a lady called Donna Valmanas
came up and said you're coming home with me.
(19:23):
And I'm like, thank you very much.
Donna wonderful. And she's got Andreas, her
husband. She, Andy and two boys, Nikolai
and Jordan were at another event.
So Donna was there just to come and collect the coach.
We drove back along the peninsula in Traverse City.
I don't you've been up familiar with it, but a beautiful part of
the world met the family that night and Andy came down into my
(19:44):
I was staying in the basement and Andy came down and shook my
hand and said welcome to my family, welcome to our family.
And I don't know if you can see,but there's a tear wailing that
literally is because it's so emotional.
And I became a part of their I knew then I knew right then I
will be part of their family. And I've grown up as an integral
part of that family. Jordan and Nikolai and myself
(20:06):
refer to each other as brothers.I was in their wedding.
We just we talked. We refer to each other's
brothers, literally and on in Jordan's wedding.
Excuse myself going on about this, but it's something that's
close to my part of them. You know, in the weddings where
they have everybody, the photographer's got everybody.
And then he goes, right, You people can step aside.
You people can step aside. He gets down, he pins it down
(20:27):
to, to, to the bride and groom. And he said, right, the two
brothers and Jordan went, there's three brothers and I was
the 3rd. I remember my wife was sat in
there in the car. I was sat with all the groomsmen
at the front and my wife was so much saying no.
And this lady said to a friend said, who's the older guy in the
groomsmen with the younger guys?Because I was like, you know, 15
(20:50):
years older and existing. That's my husband.
And so that was just one story that that, you know, I'm still
my wife and I go back to Traverse City, MI.
We'll be up there in a few weeksin June.
We go back and I went back. I lived with that family for
three months every fall for fouryears in the in the 90s and just
became part of that family and worked in the soccer club.
(21:12):
And Andy, Andy was the best man at mine.
And Justine's wedding in Florida, where we got married
down in the Keys. And Andy and Nicolai and John,
my brother couldn't make that for a health issue.
He couldn't make the wedding. So he wrote the speech, but
Nikolai read half of it and Jordan read the other half.
That's one of that's, that's a story.
And a lot of our coaches have, you know, maybe not that level
(21:33):
of 33 years, but another family.It's just one of those summers.
I met a family in in in Glencoe,IL, in North Chicago and had
three little daughters. Katie was 6, Alison was 8, and
Carrie was 10. And again that night, I just
immediately bonded with Walt andJoanne and the three girls.
They're just the most beautiful kids.
(21:53):
And I knew I would be friends and I stayed in touch with those
families. All the other families were
great, but you just have those ones that you bond with.
And now Carrie lives in up in the mountains in Vale, Alison
lives half an hour north and themum lives in Boulder.
So last two weeks ago on Saturday, my wife and I went to
watch Alison's 8 year old daughter.
(22:15):
So 33 years later I'm now watching the 8 year old's 8 year
old daughter playing soccer and the mum was there.
So there's three generations of the Echinov family all these 33
years later and explained to Alison's got three kids.
Explain him to that. When I first met your mum and I
was, you know, she was your age and etcetera.
So again, I've been to all theirweddings and things.
(22:38):
So it's, it's more than just a week staying with a family.
It can turn into something, you know, incredibly, incredibly
special. And I've been, you know, lucky
to have those experiences. You are so lucky.
Those are beautiful stories and I thank you so much for sharing
them with me and with our listeners today.
I know we talk a lot about it here at YFU about the impact of
(23:01):
hosting, but hearing it straightfrom the source and even just a
short amount of time, how impactful that can be it.
It's so powerful, that exchange of culture, taking somebody in
who you don't know. And that's a lot of what we're
all about too. And I'm, I'm so glad I got the
chance to talk to you about thattoday.
(23:21):
Thank you. Can you recall of any other
really awesome stand out storiesfrom host families or coaches
about the hosting experience andhow that went for them?
There's a million. There's so many.
Honestly, there's there's there were just, there were just so
many stories. Hulk Hogan House coaches the
wrestler and. What?
(23:43):
But yeah, down. He hosts coaches.
Probably my favorite one is, I mean, my colleagues could tell
you stories. We've had a few famous people
host them and what have you. But probably my favorite one was
based in the Colorado area. So I've been, I was on a call
one day when a lady called me and I was in a meeting with my
colleagues and I answered the phone.
We're just having a break. And she's like, my name is
(24:06):
Krista and I'm up in Aspen, Co. And can you check if I've signed
my kids up? And I'm like, yeah, sure, sure.
What's your last name? The kids last name said
Armstrong. I'm like, oh, Lance's kids.
I don't think Lance Armstrong the cyclist.
I'm a big cycling fan, huge cycling fan.
And she went yes. And I went, oh, sorry, I didn't
mean to be intrusive. But yeah, well, I'm a huge fan
(24:28):
of cycling. And no, followed your husband's
career. This is a long time ago.
And we just got chatting and I said, I remember the day
something happened in Texas. I was watching it live and said,
oh, my, you do know cycling. And, And Long story short, I
said, oh, by the way, we're still looking for host families.
If you're new, if you know anybody, if you're interested.
(24:49):
She's like, well, let me get with Lance.
She's called me back two days later.
Yeah, Lance is cool. We're in town that weekend, so
come and stay. So I sent a coach up and it was,
it was, I think it was a World Cup year.
And so on the Thursday night, Lance Armstrong had a party for
my coaches. He was housing one of them.
He made a flag with them, made abig England flag.
And they came to his house. And these guys were SAT, you
(25:11):
know, having a nice time with Lance Armstrong and his family.
And they Manny Pacquia, the boxer, his manager was there.
So it was like these guys were just beyond themselves, just sat
around in Lance Armstrong's house.
And I, I, I've been to his houseand met his wife and not met
Lance Armstrong, but one of the nicest things, probably one of
(25:32):
the things I remember that indirectly came from that.
I do digress, but but a colleague of ours within
Challenger tragically got cancerand he was a massive cyclist
himself. And I called Kristen and said,
you know, would, would Lance possibly put together a quick
e-mail? Just wishing Ben the best, you
(25:52):
know, something like that, anything.
But he went beyond him. He made a whole personal video
for him, talking about how he feels for him, how he knows how
he's feeling. Be strong and get through this.
And the Livestrong organization,which was the kind of thing was
a massive part. And talking to Ben, it was a
huge, huge thing for Ben. So again, that was to me, that
was something I'll never, ever forget.
(26:14):
And I've shared that story a lotbecause it's, it's good that
people know that type of thing. And so, so that that was but
those, those are, you know, extreme, but our guys just it's
the quality of the people. It is the absolute quality of
the people and the relationshipsyou get.
When we were back in England theother week doing our coach
training, there's a young lady in in Scotland, a long term
colleague of mine I've known forover 20 years, close to 30
(26:36):
years, Donna Guthrie. And she had her host family, mum
from 20 years ago when she was working on the camps over in
England with us as our guest at that weekend.
And her and Donna speak every single day.
They became such close friends. Donna's like an auntie to all
her children. And I had, I had this lady come
(26:56):
into my classroom and talk to mycoaches about what she's looking
for in a host family experience.And you know, that that's kind
of unusual, that level of incredible friendship.
But that that's really what these these experiences about.
And, and the kids, the relationships I have, like with
Alison and Carrie and Katie. Carrie lives the family from
(27:17):
Chicago. Carrie lives up in the
mountains. My wife and I were just last
summer. We went hiking with her and her
two children and her husband. We we good friends.
So it's those are the things. Those are the things.
Not the glamour showbiz stuff. It's no, it's the relationship.
The glitz and glamour is cool, of course.
I I can't imagine being that coach and then walking in and
seeing your host dad is going tobe Lance Armstrong.
That's got to be such a wild experience.
(27:41):
But no, it's it's what you're saying he was.
Brilliant. Yeah, kids.
And with his kids and everything.
Yeah, or or Hulk Hogan. Yeah.
That's wild. But no, that exactly what you're
saying. That connection, that heart is
at the at the center of all of this.
It's so wonderful to hear. Even you know, people who we
(28:01):
look up to and idolize are just average, ordinary, everyday
people with hearts who wanna show people a nice experience
and wanna care for people. Like what you said with him
sending that video to your colleague.
That's so how do you forget something like that, how you
just can't recreate moments likethat?
That's that's incredible. And all that from hosting and
(28:24):
being part of Challenger Sports,that's incredible.
Everything we do within our world for the kids.
And if you don't mind, I'd like to tell you a quick story that's
been. Please do.
Probably the closest thing to myheart in my 27 years working for
Challenger and 5 S 32 years in the sport.
I can tell you I'm the head of our Challenger World Tours and
(28:44):
and that last spring I got talking to a a guy called Vegas
McCann, a coach out in in Georgia and at a high school out
there. And we talked about going on
tour to England. And we kind of put the initial
prep in and then it kind of diedaway, kind of drifted away and
then we kind of reignited. He got back in touch in the fall
(29:06):
and tragically on September the 4th last year, there was a
school shooting at their school at Appalachia High School in
Winder, GA where two teachers were shot dead, 2 students were
shot dead and nine students wereinjured.
And it was that school. So when we had to call Vegas got
connect said we really want to go next spring.
(29:27):
Grant, can we make this happen? And I said, I want this is
something I'm a former high school teacher.
My wife's been a teacher for 29 years.
So it's something very, very close to our hearts.
And I said, Vegas, we're going to make this happen, we are
going to make this happen. And I had a meeting with all the
boys at Google meeting, like let's hang out meeting.
And we spoke about how hard theywere going to work and
fundraising, how hard I was going to work.
(29:49):
I was going to call in favours. And normally I don't get
involved in anything. The clubs just go later.
But this was such a special thing because one of the players
that day was shot in the arm andhe came on the tour with us.
We got the tour. And so it's just very, very
emotional the whole experience. But going back to what we just
discussed about how incredibly generous the people are and the
(30:10):
world is a great place, You know, we raised an awful lot of
money. A friend of mine donated a lot
of money. I personally raised enough money
by selling raffle tickets to payfor one Boy.
That was my goal, to raise that.And I called them favours and we
went, we got the group to go. It took a lot of work from a lot
of people, but we took them. I took them to England about a
(30:31):
month ago and these kids had an experience going to soccer
stadiums, watching soccer teams,being at Anfield, play some
heroes, watching games, playing against kids in England, playing
friendlies and hanging out with the players afterwards and
swapping messages and just becoming friends and kind of the
other way round. And it was by far the most
emotional and most incredible experience I've been involved in
(30:53):
my 32 years in the sport in thiscountry and something I'm proud
of and. Able to come together
internationally and during a point of tragedy like that, that
that connection is just so incredible and so beautiful.
And I thank you so much for sharing that story.
The the player who unfortunatelyended up with the the injury
(31:17):
from the shooting are how are they doing?
Are they OK now? No.
He was good. He he's got shot in his arm.
He came on the tour with his brother and as you can imagine,
there's a lot of healing for that community, for the, for the
boys and for the girls and everybody in the community,
everyone involved. And so we did our bid, that
challenger. It was something I was extremely
proud of. And the people in England were
(31:38):
amazing. You know, I gave the coaches a
heads up as to what had gone on and had an unbelievable night.
And our last night in North Wales, in a little village where
a load of the village people came out and watched the game
and they laid on food and drinksafterwards.
And to see these teenagers interacting literally, excuse
me, but I was sat there crying. It was it was so unbelievable as
(32:00):
as was some of the parents, you know, like that was that that
was the moment the trip to and it's just kind of doing it the
other way around. What we're talking about now
bring with our coaches interacting with kids of just
different ages. That's, you know, probably most
special time, but I cry easily, I've been told.
(32:21):
I, I mean, how could you not getemotional at a story And like
that bringing community togetherworldwide, not even nationwide,
bringing the whole world together for something like
that, that is incredibly touching.
That's beautiful. And so I would, I mean, it
sounds like you've had very incredibly rewarding moments
(32:42):
during your time with ChallengerSports.
Were there any others that really stand out to you as
something that was a valuable lesson or something just
rewarding and touching that you that stays with you, I mean.
There's so many, there are so many.
And I think, I think I think thething that I personally take a
lot of pride on and as do my colleagues and everyone in
(33:03):
Challenger sports is you get these young British coaches or
Spanish coaches, international coach coming over as as a, as an
18 year old, a 19 year old maybenot done a lot in the world in
terms of travelling. And they, you see them develop
their confidence as a person, etcetera, etcetera.
And that's because of the interaction with the kids and,
and the love they get. And again, I, I went to a soccer
(33:27):
game in England at Christmas many years ago with some of the
coaches. They've been over in the summer
and their dad was at the game. We're met in for a drink
beforehand and he pulled me aside and said, Grant, thank you
so much. My son went to America a boy and
came back a man. So that that was one another one
of those things that is really, really nice.
I think the biggest part of coming over is, is the love that
(33:52):
the the coaches get from the kids and the respect the word
coach in America means an awful lot, not so much in the rest of
the world. And and so I talked to coaches
about one of your biggest challenges in the first two
weeks will be controlling your ego because you'll have never
had so much praise and so much love from children and from
families and appreciation. So that is the big thing that,
(34:13):
you know, it's just a part of this experience that, you know,
been thanked and been really appreciating and how those kids,
you know, guys teach my coaches like kids want to want to please
you as a coach or a role model for them.
You, you have such a responsibility and I all of us
(34:34):
that challenge we work on that the the responsibility you have
coming to America to work with the youth of this country.
This isn't just a summer job. You are a professional soccer
coach. The second you step off the
aeroplane, you're in Denver or in Texas or wherever it may be,
you are under the microscope andyou're working 24/7.
So we're talking about the more you put into it, the more you
(34:55):
get out of it. That's on the field, but equals
important off the field with thehost families to interact with
them, you know, to help around the house.
Just be part of that family for the week.
So those are the things that that have stayed with me.
And like I said, there's so manymemories, so many great
experiences. We'll have to do a Part 2 and
hear all these incredible stories.
(35:17):
If all of these wonderful moments and these experiences
that you shared with us haven't convinced somebody to host a
soccer coach or host in general,what would you say to somebody
who is considering it? Feel free to call me.
Feel free to give them my cell number.
No, I would think yes. And it's daunting, you know,
(35:38):
it's, it's stunning to think that we and them need 500 at our
peak. We used to, we used to need
nearly 9000 families challengingwhen we had 20,000 kids and 1000
coaches. It's stunning.
So but I would have them reflecton it's a week of their life
that could turn into forever like my stories or it may just
(36:02):
be a week in their life. They said, hey, yeah, they'll
only be positive things will come from the experience, I can
guarantee. But think about the experience
of their child. I would ask them, would you like
international soccer coach to come and stay with her that with
my advice and see what the childthe kids answer is because it is
to see the kids faces light up when we when the coaches meet
them on a Sunday. It might be at a park and recs
(36:25):
and it might be in someone's house.
It might be in a parking lot at the soccer fields.
But the kids, you can see them the kind of side to start with,
but our coaches always make a beeline for the kids, you know,
and high 5 the kids and where where the coaches and then bang.
It's just the kids are just so excited.
So that would be my advice. Ask your child if they want an
(36:45):
incredible experience for a week.
So I think that's probably the best advice.
But now we know with what you guys do with the international
longest same things. It's that is incredible.
My wife, I think when we spoke originally, my wife went over to
Germany in high school and she had a German friend come over
and stay who are still best bestfriends, best friends, you know,
(37:07):
they visit all the time and stuff.
She was over at Christmas. I spent time with Dominique.
So you know, we've experienced exactly what you're talking
about with your programmes, a longer term, longer term
exchanges. So it's it's just very, very
positive. Ours are a little longer term
for our programs, but you hear so many stories of the same
(37:28):
amount of impact where these students go on after their
exchange and they have lifelong relationships with these family
members. They become grandparents and
then they host their students child and things like that.
It's, it's something that you just, unless you do it, you'll
never get to experience that. And it's such a rewarding
(37:48):
experience. And I'm I'm glad we're of the
same mindset and have heard so many impactful stories from
these experiences. I don't know if you can see Oh
my God from Traverse City, MI, and that's my little niece
Louisa at her first ever Challenger soccer camp in Aspen.
And that sits next to me every day on my favorite photographs
(38:10):
of all time. Perfect example of Yeah, my my
shelves are littered with photographs of the families and
things. But the other big thing on the
terms of tech is FaceTime. That is the big thing that's
changed since I was a coach. Now the ability for our coaches
to FaceTime their parents back in England say this is my
(38:33):
Sometimes they don't like being called mum and dad, but my host
mum and dad are host family for the week and that's magical.
That is something we encourage all the time and my mum and dad
would have loved that I. Can't imagine.
Yeah. Oh, that's so cool.
So as we are unfortunately winding down to the end of this
episode, I am curious what is next for Challenger Sports?
(38:53):
What's going on that's coming up?
We are continuing to regrow, like I said earlier after the
pandemic in a number of different ways, regrowing our
staff. We've just taken on a very
influential guy called Rob Herringer, who was the national
technical director at United Soccer Coaches of one of the
biggest organization in the country.
We're very lucky to have Rob come on board and he's bringing
(39:15):
some higher level program. He's got connections, so he's
opening our bandwidth all over the nation already.
We've got the World Cup coming up in 26 in America that'll you
haven't, you know, probably within the next, I'd imagine few
months that'll really start to get on the radar of every
American, but that will be huge.The last time it was here in
(39:35):
1994, I was coming over as a coach and what have you.
So that really, really kick start the whole professional
world in with a, with a, with a professional league in America.
So that is massive. Then we've got the the women's
World Cup coming to Brazil in 2027.
So it's on the continent and youknow, we'll be taking groups
(39:56):
down to Brazil for that hopefully and things.
So it's just so much happening in the world of soccer here in
Denver. We've got a new ladies
professional team coming to Denver, which is a massive
excitement around Denver, the first female professional sports
team that I'm aware of in Denver.
So but challenge of, you know, as the sport grows, we grow and
(40:18):
things so. Those are the things we'll we'll
be, we'll be integrally involvedin the World Cup and and what
have you and growing out more programs with clubs around the
nation. It's exciting time.
It sounds like there's so much going on and I I'm also really
loving the the growth of soccer worldwide, especially here in
(40:38):
the United States. I played for 10 years when I was
a kid. I loved it.
I would have loved to have an experience at Challenger Sports
when I was in my soccer days. That would have been so cool.
Oh my goodness. 1st when I was in Saginaw in 1993.
I know I I was. I was just shy of that of that
year, unfortunately. Showing my age a bit.
(40:59):
So for someone who is interestedin having their child join a
Challenger Sports soccer camp orhosting a coach, how do we how
do we send? Where do we send them?
How do we get them involved? Like everything these days.
Website. So our challenger sport.
Yeah, challengesports.com website, you can sign up for the
soccer camp there. As you sign up you, you will be
(41:20):
asked if you're interested in hosting a coach.
If you don't, we have a specificpage on hosting and it gives you
all the information, there's videos, there's testimonials,
etcetera, questions, answers, everything you need to know
about our specific program. Because I'm sure some of your
host their, their kids are older.
So they may have aged out of stuff.
(41:40):
Some may not. But it's we, we have people who
don't even have kids at camp whowho have just done it for years
and they just love it. We have friend, a good friend of
mine, but I know socially in Denver, his kids are now playing
high school soccer. He's housing frizz this year
because he just loves soccer andhe wants to have some soccer,
soccer business house. So you don't have to have kids
(42:02):
at the camp. But on the host family thing,
which I'm sure we've shared withyour good people, you can just
click on there and that will come through to our regional
offices and someone will contactyou and follow up and call you
and have a chat and, and talk you through what what, when our
needs are, where our needs are, etcetera.
So, yeah, and we'll make sure inthe episode notes that we're
(42:23):
putting the website and where they can find you online to make
sure that they get connected with Challenger sports and all
of your wonderful programs. And as a final question, not
really having anything to do with soccer, with soccer or
anything like that, but I'm curious, you know, you had
mentioned at one point the cultural differences for these
coaches coming over, what they experienced.
(42:44):
What would when you came over asa coach, what would you say was
the Wild like the one thing thatwas called actually different
here in the United States that you weren't expecting?
You see, I've been over playing,so probably going back to 86 as
a freshman. That was kind of the best judge
of coming to America. There were so many things.
The size of the country is one thing.
(43:06):
My region alone is 8 1/2 times size of Great Britain.
So the driving distance is that the housing I think that was and
then there's not so much cultural, but they are just the
size of your regular middle class American house, which I'm
sitting in now, compared to the house I grew up in northern
(43:27):
England, which we can I can fit in our dining room and kitchen.
That was a that's a big culture shock.
The weather is a great thing. You know, it's just sunny,
beautiful sunny day in Denver again.
And in the summer when our coaches come over, but I'm
saying that culturally it's, I don't really know.
(43:49):
It's without, you know, we, we don't talk politics or religion
or anything that's not on our table of gametes to talk about
as coaches. But I think that no, the best,
the best answer is I don't know why they said with how the
British accent is marvelled at even today, even today, it is
(44:10):
insane how Americans just go crazy over the British accent.
Not everyone obviously, but backin 8680, eights and the 90s and
especially, you know, coming to places like Saginaw, MI and
Traverse City, MI with all now Traverse cities give it more of
a touristy place. But a lot of the communities we
work in in rural Wyoming and NewMexico and and rural Utah,
(44:31):
Colorado, they, you know, peoplehave not many met not many
international people. So that, I think that was the
thing that always gets the coaches that, wow, they're
obsessed with our accent called English.
And I'll admit, in 2025, even now, I was so excited to talk to
(44:54):
you because I had talked to you a little before this and heard
some of your stories and heard your accent was like, oh, I
cannot wait to listen to him talk.
If you had some of my colleagueslike Alex Green from Scotland,
we just sit there, send me an e-mail, Greeno.
But you know, that is for the kids on the camps of the accents
is a challenge. So that is something we talk
about and we say to kids, if youdon't understand me, don't get
(45:17):
upset, don't get frustrated, just say, hey coach, can you
slow down? I didn't understand.
That's one of the cultural things because especially when
you get the Scottish coaches andthe Irish coaches and the
accents are very, very strong. So you can find the differences,
but at the end of the day, we'reall people, we're all similar.
We all want to take care of eachother, We all want to love each
(45:39):
other and just share a little bit about of ourselves at the
end of the day. And I think that's what's the
coolest bit about these culturalexchange programs, like your
hosting program and like our hosting programs that we offer.
And in a somewhat challenging world at times is, you know,
that this this part of the programme, as they've alluded to
some of the stories, it's you get some of the greatest stories
(46:01):
and greatest experiences. So I really do hope some of your
families can get involved. And likewise, our families from
Challenger, they've hosted the coach for a week, get involved
and open up their homes to some of their international students
for longer periods of time, which I'm sure there's people
will. We look forward to this
partnership and having more people experiences, great, great
experiences. Exactly, I I can't agree more.
(46:24):
And for our listeners, I hope that you will check out
Challenger Sports and take a look at our episode notes about
all of their wonderful programs and get involved.
And for anybody from the Challenger sports family who may
hear this podcast and may take alook, I hope you'll check us out
here at YFU USA and give our programs a shot as well.
But until next time, this has been life exchanged stories of
(46:46):
understanding. I have been your host Kelsey
Ross and hope. See you next time.
Bye. Listen to Life Exchange Stories
of Understanding now on Spotify,Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and
wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
All right, hello and welcome to this very special episode of
Life Exchange, Stories of Understanding.
I am your host, Kelsey Ross, andtoday we have a wonderful guest
here with us. Why did you tell the fine people
a little bit about who you are? Oh, good morning, everyone, and
thank you for that, Kelsey. Yeah, my name is Grant Hall.
I work with a soccer organization called Challenger
(00:32):
Sports. I've been working full time for
the company for 27 years, came over from Northern England in
the early 90s, coaching soccer over here and then full time in
98. I worked with the company in
many different roles, one of them heavily, very heavily
involved in our host family roles and other things I'm sure
you'll probably hear about today.
I reside in a wonderful Denver, Co.
(00:53):
So that's a little bit about me,Kelsey.
Wonderful and great. We're so happy to have you here.
I can't thank you enough for your time today.
And to begin, you mentioned you were with Challenger Sports.
Why don't you tell us a little bit about what Challenger Sports
is and how it began? Yeah, we are basically a huge
(01:14):
soccer organization involved with everything in the world of
kids soccer. We cover anywhere from little
tiny tight programs, from 2 yearolds in preschools up to college
programmes, taking kids on tour,college players on tour around
the world. The camps, our summer camp
business, our primary business, how the company started in 1989
(01:35):
under the name British Soccer. These British soccer camps are
pretty inspiring name the fact there's about four British guys
came over and started running camps in Kansas, moving around
small communities in the back ofa station wagon and it
progressed from there to everything in the world of
soccer. In 1997 it changed its name to
(01:56):
Challenger Sports. Had some big investment for some
American businessmen, took on a lot of full time members of
staff. I came on board in 1998 myself
having previously worked for another company and I say it
changed its name to Challenger Sports NM Really really grew.
At our peak pre COVID, we had about 120,000 kids all over
(02:18):
North America, Canada, Hawaii, everywhere.
We used to bring about 1000 coaches from Great Britain,
well, 900 about from Great Britain, about 100 from Brazil,
all staying with host families. And so yeah, we do everything in
the world of kids soccer. And so now we've got a bunch of
regional offices all over the country.
And like I say, I head up our Denver office, amongst other
things. Wow, that's quite a story, quite
(02:39):
a saga. You mentioned you came on full
time in 1998, but I'm curious about where your love of soccer
began and what got you involved with what is now Challenger
Sports. Yeah, like most kids in in
England, you grow up playing sport, rugby, cricket, soccer,
(02:59):
football, as we call it, obviously.
Yeah, I've just played football all my life.
I'm a little kid tap growing up in my tiny little village, my
elementary school with 32 children in the whole school, in
the class, the whole school. So we played, we had a fibre
side team from the school. You just play and play and play.
It's very, very unorganised. There's no organised, very
little organised practices and you just love the sport, you
(03:21):
support your team and that's kind of the way it is in many
countries in the world. And so I came over, I actually
came over playing with my university in Southampton
University in 1986 at the end ofmy freshman year and played down
in the Carolinas and Florida on a month long tour and were
hosted by universities down there, generally in their dorms.
(03:43):
And things were played, moved around and it were such an
incredible experience. I came back in 88 playing up in
up in New England, played at Yale and Cornell and a few of
those places. So that really opened my eyes as
to what was happening with the world of youth soccer in
America, the facilities, the amount of players playing, the
(04:04):
standard of the play, the standard of the coaching, and
you know, just just everything that people in America take for
granted in the world of college soccer.
I remember getting injured and Ihad my first ever ice bath and,
and, and proper electronic treatment on my on the thigh
injury. And it was like, wow, it was
just so much of where the sport was going.
(04:28):
And that really inspired me to to come back.
And in 1990, 2, after travellingaround the world, I came over
coaching on the camps like we run now.
And that's when my real commitment into staying in this
country, when I stayed with a lot of families saw at the youth
level where it was going. And, and then I was looking up
(04:48):
in 1998, like I say, to be one of the part of the expansion
plan with Challenger Sports. So yeah, it's been a journey.
Took me a long time to get here full time but I moved to Florida
and Tampa, FL in 1998 and ran out programs with Challenger
Sports. Then move up here to Denver 18
years ago. How that's wonderful, and it
(05:09):
sounds to me like Challenger sports is kind of all over the
country in North America. Where are some of your main
locations that some of our listeners may recognise?
Yeah, we, we've got offices in Southern California down around
the Carlsbad area, N San Diego County, North LA, Sacramento,
Chicago, Providence, RI is a bighub.
(05:32):
Kansas City has been our head office for for many years.
Atlanta, GA. We've got buddies in Baltimore,
here in Denver, Dallas, TX. The COVID impacted our business
like you would imagine, I think 13 offices in places like
Seattle and things, but some have closed.
But we're reading we're back up to about 35,000 kids this year
(05:53):
on our summer camps and bringingabout 300 coaches from
predominantly Great Britain overto run the camps.
But yeah, we run programs all over the country.
That's so cool. You've mentioned it a couple of
times. We have.
You have international soccer coaches that come in from all
over, particularly in Britain and come in coach in the United
(06:13):
States. How are these coaches selected?
How do they become part of Challenger sports?
Yeah, we we have a full time recruitment officer back in
based in England with a team of people that have worked for us
for many, many years, some of them over 2025 years.
And I was with them just a few weeks ago back in England and
they they recruit our coaches through anything from soccer
(06:35):
clubs to to universities to further education colleges all
over the have a recruiting program, coaches apply to
workforce. They have a a video interview
and then they have a field day interview and then they go to a
training weekend. We hire a big university in
(06:56):
central, central England and flya whole bunch of our staff from
America. We spend a whole weekend with
our staff doing everything on the field in the classrooms
because we may speak the same language, Kelsey, but we're
very, very different countries. And so there's a lot to educate
when these coaches come over andstay with families coaching in
different communities all over America.
So we need them as absolutely aswell prepared as humanly
(07:19):
possible. So we invest a lot of money
because if we don't have the best staff delivering the best
programs, these kids, we, we sell ourselves on the kids
having a phenomenal experience. And we talk more about that,
that the nitty gritty of the camps later, I'm sure.
But that's where our staff fly. Over 2 weeks tomorrow we'll have
(07:39):
about 3540 staff flying into Denver.
We've been meeting them, collecting them, putting them in
our hotels, doing a training dayhere.
So the training they get before they step on the fields with the
with the kids is, is, is second to none.
So we need to know that they're delivering our philosophies, our
coaching philosophies, the energy, the enthusiasm, it's all
(08:01):
about fun and coaching the kids,etcetera.
So, so yeah, it's very exciting.It's very.
Exciting. It sounds like it.
And yeah, so that's that's who the coaches are.
And you know, a lot of our coaches come back year after
year. And then we had programmes where
they actually stay on a longer term basis.
(08:21):
Each week in the summer, they move around from programme to
programme. For example, our region out of
our Denver office, we have campsin New Mexico, Utah, Colorado,
Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska.
So they could be anywhere each week and move around.
But then we have programmes where coaches stay for 18 months
and stay in communities and coach with clubs are they stayed
(08:43):
for a year. So we've got a number of
different programs, but wow, ourmeat and drink is our some
accounts. Sounds like it's a really cool
way for these international coaches to see a little bit more
of the of the States and get to experience what life is like and
all over the country. That's so incredible.
And how would you say that your coaches are able to cater in
(09:07):
their training and their skills to coach all these different
levels of and skill sets of players?
Because there's a wide variety of ages that you work with and
skill types. Yeah, absolutely.
You know, and I think I just mentioned we've got about 35
coaches flying in from England and some college players,
international college players are coming in that day.
(09:27):
That'll work for us. So we've got a team of 50
coaches here in Denver, for example.
You know, we'll have 185 weeks of camp with 6 1/2 thousand
kids. It's a big, a big program.
So within Challenge we've got different programs.
We've got the tiny tights that are taught, very small ones and
we've got the regular ones for more the recreational base.
We've got more advanced ones forkids who are like 8-9 and ten
(09:48):
who are looking to go on and play competitive.
Then we've got our elite camp programmes, we've got our
creative skills within those coaches.
When I know what camps they're going to, the nature of the
kids, we'll select from our poolwithin our Denver region and go
right. We need some higher level
coaches to go and work this programme.
We need some specialists with the little kiddies who are
really animated and fun and overthe top to do so.
(10:09):
We we select with them within our group of coaches and make it
as specific as possible. But one thing we pride ourselves
on, Kelsey is any good coach in many people's eyes, should be
capable of coaching at all the ends of the spectrum.
That's the ultimate goal. So a lot of our first year
coaches, we start them in that 789 age group and we train them
up and they develop year after year so they're capable of doing
(10:31):
the different levels. So it's a incredible experience
for these young coaches to come over and develop their skills
and learn from my experienced coaches and, and what have you
so. I mean it sounds like with not
only with your international coaching staff, not only with
the training for the coaches andjust all of the locations that
Challenger Sports can be found in.
What are some other ways that set that Challenger Sports sets
(10:53):
its apart itself from other youth organization or or youth
soccer organizations in the country?
I think what we do, we can caterlike I've alluded to from the 2
year olds to the 22 year olds. So we have the full spectrum of
coaching programmes. We've also got a sister company,
Challenger Teamware that does all the apparel and anything you
need in the world of soccer and they work with other sports.
(11:15):
My primary job within the coming, I'm the head of sales
for our international tours division.
I challenge the world tours. I was just in England 3 weeks
ago with a, with a high school group.
We go down to Brazil, to Spain, to Portugal on these tours and
take teams over and incredible experiences.
So we've got that part of us. We've got trainers work with
service clubs. So there's no other company in
(11:36):
the country that has the full spectrum of soccer programs that
we do and we can cater for any club's needs.
But I think from a, from a camp perspective, because an awful
lot of people running soccer camps and some phenomenal camps,
you know, but I think the way I've always told when I've got
in front of soccer boards or organisations, when they say,
(11:57):
you know, what's different, I say because our international
coaches bring that internationalelement to the programme,
whether it be from Columbia, like one of my colleagues, full
time colleagues here in Denver, one of my Spanish coaches, we
got on the ground here, Brazilian coach, English coach,
3 Irish coaches right here working for us.
Now wherever they're from, they bring that international element
(12:17):
to the camps, part of our camps.Every day we have a World Cup
tournament and the World Cup's coming to America in 2026, as
you're probably aware. So you'll learn more about that.
But we've done that. That's an integral part of our
curriculum. So the kids get split and they
get given a team. So let's see you on, you know,
the Croatian team. You get given homework every
(12:37):
night to research Croatian culture, the economy, the the
currency, the flag. The kids paint their faces with
the Croatian flag and they come and play, they dress in the
colours and we have a big final day on the Friday.
We have a World Cup tournament. The parents and families come
and then obviously with our coaches staying with the
families, with the kids, I wouldsay it is an incredible fun,
(13:00):
high energy soccer experience, but a social and cultural
experience as well. So we discussed the countries
that the water breaks and the kids come up and tell them to
show the flag. So I think that's a big point of
difference from from what we do.That is so cool.
I can't imagine what it looks like on these camps watching
(13:20):
these World Cups go on, getting a full education in soccer and
expanding their skills and learning all about a new culture
and country at the same time. I've never heard of anything
like that. That is so cool.
Oh my gosh, I'm so jealous of these kids.
Obviously it goes the other way for the coaches to learn about
America. You know, in my 5 years I
(13:40):
traveled to, I'm now in my 38th state, but I think I did 24
states as a working for Challenger in the working the
North American soccer camps whenI was younger.
So I went to a different region.So it goes both ways.
And obviously you know, Michiganwhere you are is very different
from Southern California where Iwork closely with the office,
etcetera. So it goes both ways in the
(14:01):
educational process. That's so cool.
How did hosting with Challenger Sports begin?
As far as I know, Kelsey, it's been an integral part of the
programme since that certain British soccer started in 1989.
When the guys, Peter and Paul and Alan, those guys came over,
I'm sure they stayed with families.
And ever since I came on board in 1992, that's all I've ever
(14:23):
known. It's all we've ever known.
And like I said, it's an integral part of our program.
We can, our business would not function if we're staying in
hotels every week. So it's just financially, it's a
huge part of programming. We are a huge debt of thanks to
all the families over the decades.
They've opened up their homes and it's it's a phenomenal
program. We'll talk, get into the detail
of it. But it's a week program where
(14:44):
let's say we had some coaches working in Denver this week,
they may be going to whirl and Wyoming next week or Las Cruces,
NM, they'll travel on the Sunday.
We'll have organized the host families.
We'll have organized a meeting place for where they meet in
that location, in that community.
Then they stay with the family for the week.
They've got rental cars, so they're very self-sufficient.
(15:04):
Just a case of we need somewherefor them to shower, somewhere to
sleep and some food. They can access the free
refrigerator. We, when I speak to the families
and when my colleagues speak with them, we don't expect them
to be catered for 100 and foot. It's like there's a
refrigerator. Help yourself the, the families
they do. They do get a free place at our
(15:25):
soccer camps or, or financial reward, not a lot, but to to
come to the expense. But no one does it for that.
It's, it's the experience and moving week from week meeting
different families in different communities in our Denver
offices somewhere. For example, we need 500
families to open up their homes to complete strangers.
And it happens every year. And it blows my mind how
(15:47):
generous the American public arein terms of doing that.
But it's, I'll, I'll, I'll, I'lltell you some stories about my
experiences. That is, that is our programme
and it's phenomenal, you know, and everyone does it for the
kids. It's all about the kids.
You know, our coaches make friends with the, with the, with
the families, the parents, but it's all about the kids and, and
(16:09):
for the kids to have a coach stay with them for the week.
It's, it's hard as adults to grasp how exciting that is.
I've lived and breathed it for five years in the 90s.
And when the kid comes to camp on the first day and they know
the coach, the other kids are like, wow, how do you know coach
and what is staying with me at my house or et cetera, et
cetera. It's really, really cool.
And our coaches, obviously, at the end of the day, they,
(16:30):
they'll take the kids out in thebackyard, teach them new soccer
things and hang out. They'll go and watch them go to
this pool or whatever they do. They interact with the families
and that sort of some of the experiences our coaches have had
every year, you know, just mind blowing, you know, because these
are young British coaches comingover and our country is very
different and it's the houses, Ithink the size of their houses,
(16:52):
the things that different, the biggest difference, you know, in
in we've. Heard that a lot too.
Everything's smaller and you know, you stay in there.
It's not every week, but it's, it's just there's so many things
that are inspiring. And like I said, so many of our
coaches return year after year after year because of the host
family experiences. And you know, I, I literally
(17:13):
spoke to a lady called Amy yesterday.
Now residing in Niceville, FL. It's her 13th year of hosting
coaches. It's just become an integral
part of their family that she had a four year old when they
started. That kid is now 17, but they
still love the coaches coming tostay.
(17:34):
So 13 years of opening a house Amy down in Niceville, FL a
legend. You know, it's, it's just, it is
a incredible experience for everyone concerned.
That's so cool. We, we have a few legacy host
families like that as well whereyou'll hear the name and they're
on their like 20th student that they're hosting.
(17:55):
And it's so cool just getting towatch that the family grow and
get to experience it over and over and over again and get to
learn about a new culture and customs over again and how
impactful that is. Have you heard any feedback from
any of your host families about what it's like for them to host
these coaches? Yeah.
I mean, we, we call and thank the families afterwards
(18:18):
obviously. And that's where we get the
feedback. And it's, it's just a very, very
positive experience. You know, a lot of, a lot of
families are working. It's all about the kids.
It's what the kids got out of it.
You know, that is that is the that is the overwhelming
feedback. And it's why they do it.
And it's why our coaches come over.
It's all about the kids. You know, our Challenger tagline
(18:39):
is putting smiles on kids faces and, and what have you.
I mean myself in 1993 came to Traverse City, MI.
I came to Saginaw, MI where you're based actually worked.
And Jim and Becky Weisbach I stayed with in 1993 and I never
forget staying with that family.But Traverse City became a
(19:02):
special place for me. All the families were wonderful.
But on that June night in 1993, I landed in Travel City with
five other coaches and went to the president, the soccer club
president house and all the other families were there with
my coaches. And a lady called Donna Valmanas
came up and said you're coming home with me.
(19:23):
And I'm like, thank you very much.
Donna wonderful. And she's got Andreas, her
husband. She, Andy and two boys, Nikolai
and Jordan were at another event.
So Donna was there just to come and collect the coach.
We drove back along the peninsula in Traverse City.
I don't you've been up familiar with it, but a beautiful part of
the world met the family that night and Andy came down into my
(19:44):
I was staying in the basement and Andy came down and shook my
hand and said welcome to my family, welcome to our family.
And I don't know if you can see,but there's a tear wailing that
literally is because it's so emotional.
And I became a part of their I knew then I knew right then I
will be part of their family. And I've grown up as an integral
part of that family. Jordan and Nikolai and myself
(20:06):
refer to each other as brothers.I was in their wedding.
We just we talked. We refer to each other's
brothers, literally and on in Jordan's wedding.
Excuse myself going on about this, but it's something that's
close to my part of them. You know, in the weddings where
they have everybody, the photographer's got everybody.
And then he goes, right, You people can step aside.
You people can step aside. He gets down, he pins it down
(20:27):
to, to, to the bride and groom. And he said, right, the two
brothers and Jordan went, there's three brothers and I was
the 3rd. I remember my wife was sat in
there in the car. I was sat with all the groomsmen
at the front and my wife was so much saying no.
And this lady said to a friend said, who's the older guy in the
groomsmen with the younger guys?Because I was like, you know, 15
(20:50):
years older and existing. That's my husband.
And so that was just one story that that, you know, I'm still
my wife and I go back to Traverse City, MI.
We'll be up there in a few weeksin June.
We go back and I went back. I lived with that family for
three months every fall for fouryears in the in the 90s and just
became part of that family and worked in the soccer club.
(21:12):
And Andy, Andy was the best man at mine.
And Justine's wedding in Florida, where we got married
down in the Keys. And Andy and Nicolai and John,
my brother couldn't make that for a health issue.
He couldn't make the wedding. So he wrote the speech, but
Nikolai read half of it and Jordan read the other half.
That's one of that's, that's a story.
And a lot of our coaches have, you know, maybe not that level
(21:33):
of 33 years, but another family.It's just one of those summers.
I met a family in in in Glencoe,IL, in North Chicago and had
three little daughters. Katie was 6, Alison was 8, and
Carrie was 10. And again that night, I just
immediately bonded with Walt andJoanne and the three girls.
They're just the most beautiful kids.
(21:53):
And I knew I would be friends and I stayed in touch with those
families. All the other families were
great, but you just have those ones that you bond with.
And now Carrie lives in up in the mountains in Vale, Alison
lives half an hour north and themum lives in Boulder.
So last two weeks ago on Saturday, my wife and I went to
watch Alison's 8 year old daughter.
(22:15):
So 33 years later I'm now watching the 8 year old's 8 year
old daughter playing soccer and the mum was there.
So there's three generations of the Echinov family all these 33
years later and explained to Alison's got three kids.
Explain him to that. When I first met your mum and I
was, you know, she was your age and etcetera.
So again, I've been to all theirweddings and things.
(22:38):
So it's, it's more than just a week staying with a family.
It can turn into something, you know, incredibly, incredibly
special. And I've been, you know, lucky
to have those experiences. You are so lucky.
Those are beautiful stories and I thank you so much for sharing
them with me and with our listeners today.
I know we talk a lot about it here at YFU about the impact of
(23:01):
hosting, but hearing it straightfrom the source and even just a
short amount of time, how impactful that can be it.
It's so powerful, that exchange of culture, taking somebody in
who you don't know. And that's a lot of what we're
all about too. And I'm, I'm so glad I got the
chance to talk to you about thattoday.
(23:21):
Thank you. Can you recall of any other
really awesome stand out storiesfrom host families or coaches
about the hosting experience andhow that went for them?
There's a million. There's so many.
Honestly, there's there's there were just, there were just so
many stories. Hulk Hogan House coaches the
wrestler and. What?
(23:43):
But yeah, down. He hosts coaches.
Probably my favorite one is, I mean, my colleagues could tell
you stories. We've had a few famous people
host them and what have you. But probably my favorite one was
based in the Colorado area. So I've been, I was on a call
one day when a lady called me and I was in a meeting with my
colleagues and I answered the phone.
We're just having a break. And she's like, my name is
(24:06):
Krista and I'm up in Aspen, Co. And can you check if I've signed
my kids up? And I'm like, yeah, sure, sure.
What's your last name? The kids last name said
Armstrong. I'm like, oh, Lance's kids.
I don't think Lance Armstrong the cyclist.
I'm a big cycling fan, huge cycling fan.
And she went yes. And I went, oh, sorry, I didn't
mean to be intrusive. But yeah, well, I'm a huge fan
(24:28):
of cycling. And no, followed your husband's
career. This is a long time ago.
And we just got chatting and I said, I remember the day
something happened in Texas. I was watching it live and said,
oh, my, you do know cycling. And, And Long story short, I
said, oh, by the way, we're still looking for host families.
If you're new, if you know anybody, if you're interested.
(24:49):
She's like, well, let me get with Lance.
She's called me back two days later.
Yeah, Lance is cool. We're in town that weekend, so
come and stay. So I sent a coach up and it was,
it was, I think it was a World Cup year.
And so on the Thursday night, Lance Armstrong had a party for
my coaches. He was housing one of them.
He made a flag with them, made abig England flag.
And they came to his house. And these guys were SAT, you
(25:11):
know, having a nice time with Lance Armstrong and his family.
And they Manny Pacquia, the boxer, his manager was there.
So it was like these guys were just beyond themselves, just sat
around in Lance Armstrong's house.
And I, I, I've been to his houseand met his wife and not met
Lance Armstrong, but one of the nicest things, probably one of
(25:32):
the things I remember that indirectly came from that.
I do digress, but but a colleague of ours within
Challenger tragically got cancerand he was a massive cyclist
himself. And I called Kristen and said,
you know, would, would Lance possibly put together a quick
e-mail? Just wishing Ben the best, you
(25:52):
know, something like that, anything.
But he went beyond him. He made a whole personal video
for him, talking about how he feels for him, how he knows how
he's feeling. Be strong and get through this.
And the Livestrong organization,which was the kind of thing was
a massive part. And talking to Ben, it was a
huge, huge thing for Ben. So again, that was to me, that
was something I'll never, ever forget.
(26:14):
And I've shared that story a lotbecause it's, it's good that
people know that type of thing. And so, so that that was but
those, those are, you know, extreme, but our guys just it's
the quality of the people. It is the absolute quality of
the people and the relationshipsyou get.
When we were back in England theother week doing our coach
training, there's a young lady in in Scotland, a long term
colleague of mine I've known forover 20 years, close to 30
(26:36):
years, Donna Guthrie. And she had her host family, mum
from 20 years ago when she was working on the camps over in
England with us as our guest at that weekend.
And her and Donna speak every single day.
They became such close friends. Donna's like an auntie to all
her children. And I had, I had this lady come
(26:56):
into my classroom and talk to mycoaches about what she's looking
for in a host family experience.And you know, that that's kind
of unusual, that level of incredible friendship.
But that that's really what these these experiences about.
And, and the kids, the relationships I have, like with
Alison and Carrie and Katie. Carrie lives the family from
(27:17):
Chicago. Carrie lives up in the
mountains. My wife and I were just last
summer. We went hiking with her and her
two children and her husband. We we good friends.
So it's those are the things. Those are the things.
Not the glamour showbiz stuff. It's no, it's the relationship.
The glitz and glamour is cool, of course.
I I can't imagine being that coach and then walking in and
seeing your host dad is going tobe Lance Armstrong.
That's got to be such a wild experience.
(27:41):
But no, it's it's what you're saying he was.
Brilliant. Yeah, kids.
And with his kids and everything.
Yeah, or or Hulk Hogan. Yeah.
That's wild. But no, that exactly what you're
saying. That connection, that heart is
at the at the center of all of this.
It's so wonderful to hear. Even you know, people who we
(28:01):
look up to and idolize are just average, ordinary, everyday
people with hearts who wanna show people a nice experience
and wanna care for people. Like what you said with him
sending that video to your colleague.
That's so how do you forget something like that, how you
just can't recreate moments likethat?
That's that's incredible. And all that from hosting and
(28:24):
being part of Challenger Sports,that's incredible.
Everything we do within our world for the kids.
And if you don't mind, I'd like to tell you a quick story that's
been. Please do.
Probably the closest thing to myheart in my 27 years working for
Challenger and 5 S 32 years in the sport.
I can tell you I'm the head of our Challenger World Tours and
(28:44):
and that last spring I got talking to a a guy called Vegas
McCann, a coach out in in Georgia and at a high school out
there. And we talked about going on
tour to England. And we kind of put the initial
prep in and then it kind of diedaway, kind of drifted away and
then we kind of reignited. He got back in touch in the fall
(29:06):
and tragically on September the 4th last year, there was a
school shooting at their school at Appalachia High School in
Winder, GA where two teachers were shot dead, 2 students were
shot dead and nine students wereinjured.
And it was that school. So when we had to call Vegas got
connect said we really want to go next spring.
(29:27):
Grant, can we make this happen? And I said, I want this is
something I'm a former high school teacher.
My wife's been a teacher for 29 years.
So it's something very, very close to our hearts.
And I said, Vegas, we're going to make this happen, we are
going to make this happen. And I had a meeting with all the
boys at Google meeting, like let's hang out meeting.
And we spoke about how hard theywere going to work and
fundraising, how hard I was going to work.
(29:49):
I was going to call in favours. And normally I don't get
involved in anything. The clubs just go later.
But this was such a special thing because one of the players
that day was shot in the arm andhe came on the tour with us.
We got the tour. And so it's just very, very
emotional the whole experience. But going back to what we just
discussed about how incredibly generous the people are and the
(30:10):
world is a great place, You know, we raised an awful lot of
money. A friend of mine donated a lot
of money. I personally raised enough money
by selling raffle tickets to payfor one Boy.
That was my goal, to raise that.And I called them favours and we
went, we got the group to go. It took a lot of work from a lot
of people, but we took them. I took them to England about a
(30:31):
month ago and these kids had an experience going to soccer
stadiums, watching soccer teams,being at Anfield, play some
heroes, watching games, playing against kids in England, playing
friendlies and hanging out with the players afterwards and
swapping messages and just becoming friends and kind of the
other way round. And it was by far the most
emotional and most incredible experience I've been involved in
(30:53):
my 32 years in the sport in thiscountry and something I'm proud
of and. Able to come together
internationally and during a point of tragedy like that, that
that connection is just so incredible and so beautiful.
And I thank you so much for sharing that story.
The the player who unfortunatelyended up with the the injury
(31:17):
from the shooting are how are they doing?
Are they OK now? No.
He was good. He he's got shot in his arm.
He came on the tour with his brother and as you can imagine,
there's a lot of healing for that community, for the, for the
boys and for the girls and everybody in the community,
everyone involved. And so we did our bid, that
challenger. It was something I was extremely
proud of. And the people in England were
(31:38):
amazing. You know, I gave the coaches a
heads up as to what had gone on and had an unbelievable night.
And our last night in North Wales, in a little village where
a load of the village people came out and watched the game
and they laid on food and drinksafterwards.
And to see these teenagers interacting literally, excuse
me, but I was sat there crying. It was it was so unbelievable as
(32:00):
as was some of the parents, you know, like that was that that
was the moment the trip to and it's just kind of doing it the
other way around. What we're talking about now
bring with our coaches interacting with kids of just
different ages. That's, you know, probably most
special time, but I cry easily, I've been told.
(32:21):
I, I mean, how could you not getemotional at a story And like
that bringing community togetherworldwide, not even nationwide,
bringing the whole world together for something like
that, that is incredibly touching.
That's beautiful. And so I would, I mean, it
sounds like you've had very incredibly rewarding moments
(32:42):
during your time with ChallengerSports.
Were there any others that really stand out to you as
something that was a valuable lesson or something just
rewarding and touching that you that stays with you, I mean.
There's so many, there are so many.
And I think, I think I think thething that I personally take a
lot of pride on and as do my colleagues and everyone in
(33:03):
Challenger sports is you get these young British coaches or
Spanish coaches, international coach coming over as as a, as an
18 year old, a 19 year old maybenot done a lot in the world in
terms of travelling. And they, you see them develop
their confidence as a person, etcetera, etcetera.
And that's because of the interaction with the kids and,
and the love they get. And again, I, I went to a soccer
(33:27):
game in England at Christmas many years ago with some of the
coaches. They've been over in the summer
and their dad was at the game. We're met in for a drink
beforehand and he pulled me aside and said, Grant, thank you
so much. My son went to America a boy and
came back a man. So that that was one another one
of those things that is really, really nice.
I think the biggest part of coming over is, is the love that
(33:52):
the the coaches get from the kids and the respect the word
coach in America means an awful lot, not so much in the rest of
the world. And and so I talked to coaches
about one of your biggest challenges in the first two
weeks will be controlling your ego because you'll have never
had so much praise and so much love from children and from
families and appreciation. So that is the big thing that,
(34:13):
you know, it's just a part of this experience that, you know,
been thanked and been really appreciating and how those kids,
you know, guys teach my coaches like kids want to want to please
you as a coach or a role model for them.
You, you have such a responsibility and I all of us
(34:34):
that challenge we work on that the the responsibility you have
coming to America to work with the youth of this country.
This isn't just a summer job. You are a professional soccer
coach. The second you step off the
aeroplane, you're in Denver or in Texas or wherever it may be,
you are under the microscope andyou're working 24/7.
So we're talking about the more you put into it, the more you
(34:55):
get out of it. That's on the field, but equals
important off the field with thehost families to interact with
them, you know, to help around the house.
Just be part of that family for the week.
So those are the things that that have stayed with me.
And like I said, there's so manymemories, so many great
experiences. We'll have to do a Part 2 and
hear all these incredible stories.
(35:17):
If all of these wonderful moments and these experiences
that you shared with us haven't convinced somebody to host a
soccer coach or host in general,what would you say to somebody
who is considering it? Feel free to call me.
Feel free to give them my cell number.
No, I would think yes. And it's daunting, you know,
(35:38):
it's, it's stunning to think that we and them need 500 at our
peak. We used to, we used to need
nearly 9000 families challengingwhen we had 20,000 kids and 1000
coaches. It's stunning.
So but I would have them reflecton it's a week of their life
that could turn into forever like my stories or it may just
(36:02):
be a week in their life. They said, hey, yeah, they'll
only be positive things will come from the experience, I can
guarantee. But think about the experience
of their child. I would ask them, would you like
international soccer coach to come and stay with her that with
my advice and see what the childthe kids answer is because it is
to see the kids faces light up when we when the coaches meet
them on a Sunday. It might be at a park and recs
(36:25):
and it might be in someone's house.
It might be in a parking lot at the soccer fields.
But the kids, you can see them the kind of side to start with,
but our coaches always make a beeline for the kids, you know,
and high 5 the kids and where where the coaches and then bang.
It's just the kids are just so excited.
So that would be my advice. Ask your child if they want an
(36:45):
incredible experience for a week.
So I think that's probably the best advice.
But now we know with what you guys do with the international
longest same things. It's that is incredible.
My wife, I think when we spoke originally, my wife went over to
Germany in high school and she had a German friend come over
and stay who are still best bestfriends, best friends, you know,
(37:07):
they visit all the time and stuff.
She was over at Christmas. I spent time with Dominique.
So you know, we've experienced exactly what you're talking
about with your programmes, a longer term, longer term
exchanges. So it's it's just very, very
positive. Ours are a little longer term
for our programs, but you hear so many stories of the same
(37:28):
amount of impact where these students go on after their
exchange and they have lifelong relationships with these family
members. They become grandparents and
then they host their students child and things like that.
It's, it's something that you just, unless you do it, you'll
never get to experience that. And it's such a rewarding
(37:48):
experience. And I'm I'm glad we're of the
same mindset and have heard so many impactful stories from
these experiences. I don't know if you can see Oh
my God from Traverse City, MI, and that's my little niece
Louisa at her first ever Challenger soccer camp in Aspen.
And that sits next to me every day on my favorite photographs
(38:10):
of all time. Perfect example of Yeah, my my
shelves are littered with photographs of the families and
things. But the other big thing on the
terms of tech is FaceTime. That is the big thing that's
changed since I was a coach. Now the ability for our coaches
to FaceTime their parents back in England say this is my
(38:33):
Sometimes they don't like being called mum and dad, but my host
mum and dad are host family for the week and that's magical.
That is something we encourage all the time and my mum and dad
would have loved that I. Can't imagine.
Yeah. Oh, that's so cool.
So as we are unfortunately winding down to the end of this
episode, I am curious what is next for Challenger Sports?
(38:53):
What's going on that's coming up?
We are continuing to regrow, like I said earlier after the
pandemic in a number of different ways, regrowing our
staff. We've just taken on a very
influential guy called Rob Herringer, who was the national
technical director at United Soccer Coaches of one of the
biggest organization in the country.
We're very lucky to have Rob come on board and he's bringing
(39:15):
some higher level program. He's got connections, so he's
opening our bandwidth all over the nation already.
We've got the World Cup coming up in 26 in America that'll you
haven't, you know, probably within the next, I'd imagine few
months that'll really start to get on the radar of every
American, but that will be huge.The last time it was here in
(39:35):
1994, I was coming over as a coach and what have you.
So that really, really kick start the whole professional
world in with a, with a, with a professional league in America.
So that is massive. Then we've got the the women's
World Cup coming to Brazil in 2027.
So it's on the continent and youknow, we'll be taking groups
(39:56):
down to Brazil for that hopefully and things.
So it's just so much happening in the world of soccer here in
Denver. We've got a new ladies
professional team coming to Denver, which is a massive
excitement around Denver, the first female professional sports
team that I'm aware of in Denver.
So but challenge of, you know, as the sport grows, we grow and
(40:18):
things so. Those are the things we'll we'll
be, we'll be integrally involvedin the World Cup and and what
have you and growing out more programs with clubs around the
nation. It's exciting time.
It sounds like there's so much going on and I I'm also really
loving the the growth of soccer worldwide, especially here in
(40:38):
the United States. I played for 10 years when I was
a kid. I loved it.
I would have loved to have an experience at Challenger Sports
when I was in my soccer days. That would have been so cool.
Oh my goodness. 1st when I was in Saginaw in 1993.
I know I I was. I was just shy of that of that
year, unfortunately. Showing my age a bit.
(40:59):
So for someone who is interestedin having their child join a
Challenger Sports soccer camp orhosting a coach, how do we how
do we send? Where do we send them?
How do we get them involved? Like everything these days.
Website. So our challenger sport.
Yeah, challengesports.com website, you can sign up for the
soccer camp there. As you sign up you, you will be
(41:20):
asked if you're interested in hosting a coach.
If you don't, we have a specificpage on hosting and it gives you
all the information, there's videos, there's testimonials,
etcetera, questions, answers, everything you need to know
about our specific program. Because I'm sure some of your
host their, their kids are older.
So they may have aged out of stuff.
(41:40):
Some may not. But it's we, we have people who
don't even have kids at camp whowho have just done it for years
and they just love it. We have friend, a good friend of
mine, but I know socially in Denver, his kids are now playing
high school soccer. He's housing frizz this year
because he just loves soccer andhe wants to have some soccer,
soccer business house. So you don't have to have kids
(42:02):
at the camp. But on the host family thing,
which I'm sure we've shared withyour good people, you can just
click on there and that will come through to our regional
offices and someone will contactyou and follow up and call you
and have a chat and, and talk you through what what, when our
needs are, where our needs are, etcetera.
So, yeah, and we'll make sure inthe episode notes that we're
(42:23):
putting the website and where they can find you online to make
sure that they get connected with Challenger sports and all
of your wonderful programs. And as a final question, not
really having anything to do with soccer, with soccer or
anything like that, but I'm curious, you know, you had
mentioned at one point the cultural differences for these
coaches coming over, what they experienced.
(42:44):
What would when you came over asa coach, what would you say was
the Wild like the one thing thatwas called actually different
here in the United States that you weren't expecting?
You see, I've been over playing,so probably going back to 86 as
a freshman. That was kind of the best judge
of coming to America. There were so many things.
The size of the country is one thing.
(43:06):
My region alone is 8 1/2 times size of Great Britain.
So the driving distance is that the housing I think that was and
then there's not so much cultural, but they are just the
size of your regular middle class American house, which I'm
sitting in now, compared to the house I grew up in northern
(43:27):
England, which we can I can fit in our dining room and kitchen.
That was a that's a big culture shock.
The weather is a great thing. You know, it's just sunny,
beautiful sunny day in Denver again.
And in the summer when our coaches come over, but I'm
saying that culturally it's, I don't really know.
(43:49):
It's without, you know, we, we don't talk politics or religion
or anything that's not on our table of gametes to talk about
as coaches. But I think that no, the best,
the best answer is I don't know why they said with how the
British accent is marvelled at even today, even today, it is
(44:10):
insane how Americans just go crazy over the British accent.
Not everyone obviously, but backin 8680, eights and the 90s and
especially, you know, coming to places like Saginaw, MI and
Traverse City, MI with all now Traverse cities give it more of
a touristy place. But a lot of the communities we
work in in rural Wyoming and NewMexico and and rural Utah,
(44:31):
Colorado, they, you know, peoplehave not many met not many
international people. So that, I think that was the
thing that always gets the coaches that, wow, they're
obsessed with our accent called English.
And I'll admit, in 2025, even now, I was so excited to talk to
(44:54):
you because I had talked to you a little before this and heard
some of your stories and heard your accent was like, oh, I
cannot wait to listen to him talk.
If you had some of my colleagueslike Alex Green from Scotland,
we just sit there, send me an e-mail, Greeno.
But you know, that is for the kids on the camps of the accents
is a challenge. So that is something we talk
about and we say to kids, if youdon't understand me, don't get
(45:17):
upset, don't get frustrated, just say, hey coach, can you
slow down? I didn't understand.
That's one of the cultural things because especially when
you get the Scottish coaches andthe Irish coaches and the
accents are very, very strong. So you can find the differences,
but at the end of the day, we'reall people, we're all similar.
We all want to take care of eachother, We all want to love each
(45:39):
other and just share a little bit about of ourselves at the
end of the day. And I think that's what's the
coolest bit about these culturalexchange programs, like your
hosting program and like our hosting programs that we offer.
And in a somewhat challenging world at times is, you know,
that this this part of the programme, as they've alluded to
some of the stories, it's you get some of the greatest stories
(46:01):
and greatest experiences. So I really do hope some of your
families can get involved. And likewise, our families from
Challenger, they've hosted the coach for a week, get involved
and open up their homes to some of their international students
for longer periods of time, which I'm sure there's people
will. We look forward to this
partnership and having more people experiences, great, great
experiences. Exactly, I I can't agree more.
(46:24):
And for our listeners, I hope that you will check out
Challenger Sports and take a look at our episode notes about
all of their wonderful programs and get involved.
And for anybody from the Challenger sports family who may
hear this podcast and may take alook, I hope you'll check us out
here at YFU USA and give our programs a shot as well.
But until next time, this has been life exchanged stories of
(46:46):
understanding. I have been your host Kelsey
Ross and hope. See you next time.
Bye. Listen to Life Exchange Stories
of Understanding now on Spotify,Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and
wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
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