BRITISH CHALLENGER SOCCER
Challenger Sports Corporation is the largest provider of soccer camps in the United States and Canada, and has been established as a true "Total Soccer Company," providing camps, clinics, tours, tournaments, uniforms and coaching materials to thousands of clubs throughout North America.
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Challenger Sports began as British Soccer Camps in 1985, as a division of All American Indoor Sports Inc. All American operated a number of multi-purpose indoor soccer facilities and was owned by Ron Matsch and Jim Jorgensen. Ron and Jim also founded Discovery Zone Inc., an indoor playground and fun center for children, that went on to achieve international success.
The British Soccer Camp program quickly grew throughout the Midwest, expanding into Oklahoma, Tennessee and Georgia, and establishing a reputation of delivering quality coaching with a unique British cultural twist.
On October 1, 1997, Challenger Sports was created by Ron Matsch, Jim Jorgensen, Peter Arch and Alan Jones, and the company acquired the operations of British Soccer. Gearing up for nationwide growth of the British Soccer Camp program and for further expansion into other elements of the soccer industry, Challenger Sports quickly recruited Paul Lawrence and Derek Shoare who at the time were President and Vice President of the largest soccer camp company in the United States.
Challenger built a quality staff of full-time Regional Soccer Directors, and within two years had established a network of offices throughout the United States. Challenger also invested heavily in the United Kingdom and were the first United States-based soccer company to set up a full-time recruitment and training operation in Britain.
Challenger's investment was quickly rewarded as the
British Soccer Camp program grew over 47 percent in 1998 and then grew a further 71 percent in 1999! Since then, the company has continued to grow steadily each year, and Challenger now runs over 1,700 British Soccer Camps for over 85,000 children and coaches a further 20,000 on year round programs.
In addition to the Industry-leading British Soccer Camp program, Challenger also has established a rapidly growing
Tours business, headed up by long time British Soccer staff members Andy Bennett and Gareth Hughes.
More recently, Challenger established a sister company to manufacture and sell soccer uniforms directly to the United States soccer community. By eliminating several stages of the traditional importer/wholesaler/retailer chain, Challenger is able to do direct-to-market with an incredible uniform at a fantastic price.
Challenger now finds itself with a nationwide network of clubs, coaches, players and parents, and a broad base of soccer products and services that just about covers anything that you could wish to find in the soccer world. Challenger Sports really is your "Total Soccer Company."
