Warm-weather training camp for college students

During a three-day stay at Cambrils Park Resort in Salou, students were offered first-class facilities and training in an alternative climate.

As well as double training sessions on each of the three days, Worthing tested themselves against Spanish opposition with a couple of friendly matches.

Worthing performance coach Dave Hall felt the facilities on offer at both Futbol Salou and Cambrils resort were exceptional and believes it will be a great benefit for students’ development.

He said: “The facilities were first-class and everything we could have asked for. This allowed the players to have a top level football experience and has added to their football development with us at Worthing College.”

A busy opening day saw Worthing put through their paces by two Spanish coaches who work for the Catalan FA, before back-to-back friendly matches.

Futbol Salou Academy were the first team thrown in front of Worthing with that one ending all square at 3-3, then Gimnastic Tarragona were dispatched 5-4 in the second and final friendly on the tour.

Having sent a video out to Spain prior to the trip, Hall felt the level of opposition served up was an ideal test for his squad.

He added: “Both games were ideal in terms of development and experience for the players.

“We sent videos of us out to the complex so we could be set up with similar level teams and they didn’t disappoint. It was a very positive couple of matches, which have added to the player development in terms of their game intelligence and playing in different environments and situations.”

Over the next two days, Worthing students had back-to-back training sessions with strength and conditioning work sandwiched in between.

A beneficial tour was then brought to a close with a tour of Barcelona’s Nou Camp Stadium.

Unfortunately Worthing’s warm-weather training camp could not prevent them from falling to a English Colleges’ Football Association National Premier League play-off defeat to Milton Keynes earlier this month.

MK have a great deal of quality and are current national play-off and cup holders. Nick Oxley opened the scoring with a header, before Milton Keynes bounced back to run out 3-1 winners.

Performance coach Hall had nothing but praise for his team following the defeat and said: “Speaking to their coaching staff, considering they are current national play-off and cup winners, for them to say we are the best team they’ve played this season is a great testament to our performances this year.

“There have been some great squads down the years at Worthing College but they didn’t achieve a second-placed finish or run a team like Milton Keynes close.”

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