Football camps in Ennis for ages 7–13
School-holiday soccer camps at Ennis National School, Co. Clare — run by PlayerBuilder.
No trials, no selection, no standing in queues. Three hours a day of touches, decisions, and small-sided games in two age groups: Spark (7–9) and Forge (10–13).
Next camp dates coming soon
We run camps in the school holidays — Easter and summer — and dates for the next one are announced here first. This page stays live year-round, so bookmark it.
Want to hear when booking opens? Email info@playerbuilder.ie or send us a message and we'll add you to the camp list.
What a camp day looks like
Three hours, every block planned. Each camp day is built around one theme — defending duels, midfield movement, attacking and finishing — so over three days players train the whole game.
- 10:00 Registration, then straight into the ball. Check-in at 10, and by 10:10 everyone's in rondos and dynamic ball work — no laps, no lectures.
- 10:30 Keep-up competition & speed work. A juggling challenge, then SAQ — speed, agility, and quickness races and ladders.
- 10:50 Ball mastery. A ball each — turns, moves, and tricks, built up in difficulty as the camp goes on.
- 11:15 Break. Hydration, snack, reset.
- 11:35 The day's theme. Defending 1v1s and 2v2s, midfield passing and rotations, or finishing — taught in small groups with coaches in amongst it.
- 12:00 Themed small-sided games. The morning's theme under real pressure — small teams, lots of touches, freedom to try things.
- 12:25 The match. The day ends with a proper game — 7v7, or crossing-and-finishing matches on attacking day.
- 12:55 Cool down & collection. Stretch, recap, and collection at 1:00.
Who's coaching your child
Declan Farmer
Director of Football & Co-Founder
Declan's coaching is built on what separates players who progress from those who plateau — rarely skill, usually mindset, decision-making under pressure, and resilience when things go wrong.
Anton Mannering
Director of Performance Science & Co-Founder
Anton leads the measurement side — the Football Quotient framework that tracks each player's actual development across technique, physical capacity, and game confidence.
Why parents pick PlayerBuilder camps
- ▶ No trials, no selection. Every child who wants to improve gets in, and every child gets coached — not just the standouts.
- ▶ Small groups, real coaching. Capped numbers and a coach-to-player ratio that means your child is seen, corrected, and encouraged by name.
- ▶ Development you can see. We measure what we train — the same Football Quotient framework behind our published research runs through everything we coach.
- ▶ Camps are the start, not the whole story. Year-round, the same coaches run weekly training blocks in Clare built on our 6+1 model.
Camp questions, answered
What age can my child start?
Camps run in two age groups: Spark for ages 7–9 and Forge for ages 10–13. Exact age bands are listed on each camp when booking opens. If your child sits on a boundary, email info@playerbuilder.ie and we'll advise on the right group.
What should my child bring to camp?
Football boots (astro or moulded studs), shin guards (mandatory), at least one litre of water, and weather-appropriate clothing — a rain jacket if it's wet, layers if it's cold. No expensive gear needed.
Does my child need to be a good player already?
No. Any level is welcome — there are no trials and no selection. Whether your child plays for a club or just kicks a ball around with friends, sessions are designed with challenge levels so each player works at their own edge.
What is the refund policy?
You can cancel for a full refund up to 7 days before the camp begins. After that, fees are non-refundable because places, staffing and kit are committed. For medical or family emergencies, email info@playerbuilder.ie and we'll review case-by-case.
What happens if the weather is bad?
We train through normal Irish weather — pack a rain jacket. In the rare case that conditions make it unsafe to play, we'll email all parents directly with arrangements.
Is this soccer or GAA football?
Soccer — association football. Plenty of our players also play GAA and hurling, which is normal in Clare, and the movement skills transfer both ways.