Before you book
A sleepaway soccer camp can be the highlight of a player's summer: days full of soccer, new friends and a first taste of independence. But not every overnight camp is the same. Here are the questions worth asking any camp, how to tell if your child is ready, and how we answer them at the MDS Residential Camp in New Jersey.
The checklist
Five Questions to Ask Any Overnight Camp
Good camps answer these clearly and in writing. If you can't get a straight answer, keep looking.
Who looks after medical needs?
Ask whether a nurse is on site around the clock, who stores and gives medication, and how allergies are handled at meals. At MDS, a registered nurse is on site 24/7 and it's a nut-free camp.
Who are the staff, and are they checked?
Every adult should be background-checked, and someone should be with campers at all times, including between sessions and in the dorms. MDS coaches escort campers to and from the dorms, and campers can't leave the campus.
Is there female staff for girls?
Girls' camps work best with female coaches, counselors and medical staff. MDS has experienced female trainers, college athletes as counselors and a female pediatric nurse throughout camp.
Where do campers sleep?
Ask about room size, air conditioning, how roommates are chosen and what to bring. MDS campers stay in air-conditioned twin rooms on a college or school campus, and roommate requests are honoured when both campers ask for each other.
How much real soccer is there?
Look for coached sessions with a plan, not just scrimmages. MDS campers train twice a day with MDS coaches, plus games and evening activities, over five days.
Readiness
Is Your Child Ready for Sleepaway Camp*?
There's no perfect age. These are the signs coaches and parents look for.
They can manage a night away
Sleepovers with friends or family are a good sign. Most first-time campers are homesick for an evening, then too busy to notice.
They're excited about soccer
Players who love the game settle fastest, because the day is full of it.
They can handle basic routines
Showering, packing a bag for training and keeping track of their things. Counselors help, but a little independence goes a long way.
You'd like to try it first
A day-camper option lets younger or first-time players do the full camp day and sleep at home. MDS offers day camper places at both camps.
Five days of soccer*, friends and campus life.
Options
Sleepaway, Day Camper or Day Camp*?
Not sure your player is ready to stay overnight? There's more than one way to do camp.
Sleepaway (overnight)
Live on campus
Players stay four nights in the dorms, eat together and take part in evening activities. The most immersive option and the biggest boost to independence.
Day camper
Same camp, home at night
Drop-off around 8:30 AM for breakfast, pick-up around 8 PM after the evening session. A good first step for families who live nearby.
Regular day camp
Shorter days
Usually a morning or 9–3 day close to home. Less training time and no campus life, but a gentle introduction for the youngest players.
MDS Residential Camp · Summer 2027
Our camp, your checklist
Georgian Court University, Lakewood, NJ: Sun, July 11 – Thu, July 15. Blair Academy, Blairstown, NJ: Sun, July 18 – Thu, July 22. Boys and girls born 2010–2017, overnight or day camper.
Air-conditioned twin rooms, all meals, two training sessions a day, camp kit and a registered nurse on site 24/7. Questions? Email paul@mdssoccer.com.
FAQs
Sleepaway Camp Questions
What parents ask most before a first overnight soccer camp.
Many players are ready between 9 and 12, but it depends on the child. The MDS Residential Camp is for boys and girls born 2010–2017, and the day-camper option suits younger or first-time campers who'd rather sleep at home.
More about our camp: MDS Residential Camp.