Who We Are
Challenger Sports is owned and operated by some of the most experienced soccer people in the country.
Our team of full-time staff across the country oversee a comprehensive range of camps, programs and services. We understand that players, coaches, parents, and administrators all have different needs and priorities, and by listening to our customers through the years, we have created a TOTAL SOCCER company that caters to everyone involved in the game.
The History of Challenger Sports
1985
Ron Matsch starts All American Indoor Sports in Lenexa, KS and begins running summer soccer camps staffed primarily by British coaches.
1989
Alan Jones and Peter Arch begin working for British Soccer Camps as full time employees and begin to grow the number of campers attending programs.
1997
Our company, Challenger Sports is formed, with the aim of increasing the number of British Soccer campers (around 10,000 kids around that time) while offering complimentary soccer services.
Paul Lawrence and Derek Shoare join us in Kansas with Andy Bennett starting our first regional office in Atlanta, GA.
1998
Camps begin to grow at a rapid pace with a 48% increase in the first year.
Expansion in the 2000's
2000
We expand our summer camps to a 10 month ‘Academy’ program using British coaches from February through to November across the country as the number of regional offices begins to expand.
2002
Using the apparel background and expertise of Mike Blumenthal, we start manufacturing our own line of soccer uniforms and our sister company, Challenger Teamwear, is formed.
2003
We begin to run our own tournaments in Kansas City and takes our first group of children and parents on a soccer tour of Britain.
2009
A landmark achievement.
Camps have now grown to over 100,000 campers in the summer, plus we are running 8 tournaments in the Kansas City area. In addition, we now work with hundreds of clubs across the country through its Academy and Tours programs.
To help grow the Academy division, Challenger Sports purchases TetraBrazil Camps utilizing Brazilian coaches to supplement the British coaches.
Our fulltime staff has by now grown to over 50; adding members of today's management team, such as Grant Hall, Alex Green, Daniel Miller, Lauren Wymore and Ben Beer.
Continuing the growth: The 2010s
2011
We purchase a residential camper business called SoccerPlus. Aimed at Elite goal keepers and field players, they are ran by Tony DiCicco, who gained fame by leading the US Women’s national team to win the 1997 Women’s World Cup.
2013
Challenger Sports grows to 115,000 summer campers, 12 tournaments, over 200 club trainers in our Academy program, and 500 travelers on our international tours. meanwhile, Challenger Teamwear exceeds $10MM in sales and starts to distribute Under Armour.
2013
We launch a UK franchise division, that focuses on teaching young children (TinyTykes) and goalkeepers (GK Icon). Both of these brands have also been introduced to the North American market.
2016
Challenger Sports and Teamwear grow the number of regional offices to 13 across the country, employing over 150 full time staff and 650 seasonal staff.
The landscape is changing as soccer clubs across the country begin to professionalize and run their own programs.
2018
Our British Soccer Camps are rebranded as International Camps to reflect the growth of North American based coaches and the increasing difficulty of using foreign coaches due to visa restrictions.
Apparel sales continue to grow and Challenger Teamwear begins to distribute Adidas.
Challenger Sports establishes our Study and Play Abroad program.
2019
Challenger Sports & Teamwear corroborates with a technology company out of Denver, Co called TopYa, with the aim of creating a broad range of digital solutions to support the various Challenger programs. We are on the cusp of a new era.
2020 - Present:
Uniting in the face of adversity.
2020
Challenger Sports & Teamwear are significantly affected by the Coronavirus, resulting in a substantial decrease in company revenues and the number of employees.
Various divisions and partnerships sadly come to an end; like the rest of the world, it's time to get back to basics. Time to regrow the game.
2021
Both companies begin to rebound from COVID-19 as sports programs begin to open up.
Despite not being allowed to bring over any foreign coaches, summer camp numbers continue to make International Soccer Camps the most popular soccer camp in the USA.
Some within the company believe that the fact that we managed to cater for 35,000 kids so soon after a global pandemic could in fact be our greatest achievement.
2023
Challenger Sports partners with both Integrity over Income and LeagueApps over an 18 month period to rebrand and build out THIS website. Challenger Teamwear also partner with Integrity over Income as part of a strategic move to separate out Sports and Teamwear resources.
International Soccer Camps becomes Core Camps, and Challenger Sports strikes up a partnership with the SPIRE Academy.
Foundational Skills Camps are born and we add Darren Laver and his Creative Skills Camps to its offerings, completing plans to provide a true player pathway.
2025
We enter our 40th year of running soccer camps with Alan Jones and Andy Bennett now heading up the modern Challenger Sports team of committed and passionate individuals, the majority working from remote locations across the US, the UK and now for the first time, in Canada.
Challenger Sports moves its HQ in Kansas City to a new location but we still remain in partnership with Challenger Teamwear.
Our brand is now streamlined to offer Foundational Skills Camps, Creative Skills Camps and Elite Camps on a year-round basis. Along with TinyTykes, these are now our main 4 options for our campers or year-round participants. We continue to act as a conduit to the SPIRE Academy.
We are excited to continue to ignite the passion.
Here's to the next chapter.
Experience Challenger Today
Our mission remains to ignite the passion. Get involved.
Speak to someone in your area
We have full-time staff all over North America and we love to hear from people from all over the world.
Find Camps In Your Area
We continue to run programs all over North America for players of all ages and ability level.
OUR STRUCTURE
