WITHIN a week, keen footballer and popular ladies co-ordinator, 21-year-old Carys Davies of Bryngwyn near Newcastle Emlyn will be flying to Kansas in America for 11 weeks to train children and teenagers the art of playing football.

Carys will be going as part of Challenger Sports’ – the number one soccer camp in America.

Carys, who played rugby for Carmarthen town and the Scarlets, now plays defence with the Newcastle Emlyn Ladies team and works full time at the Urdd Camp in Llangrannog as an events officer. Her friend and co-worker Kelly Thomas of New Quay will be heading to Kansas with Carys, and they are both looking forward to their adventure.

"I’ve thought about attending the camp for many years but because of work commitments I kept putting it off. Then my friend Kelly signed up and I was toying with the idea, then when I heard there was room for 60 more coaches to attend, I met the bosses in Coventry and it’s all gone from there. It was a bit of a last minute decision but now the visas are sorted, I am ready," explained Carys who is looking forward to the challenge.

"When I’m out there, I shall be staying with a different host family every week for the 11 week duration and I’m looking forward to seeing the different culture and to see their way of life. It would be a great idea to invite the managers and trainers over here too and to show them the country," said Carys whose Under 12s girls football team won their first season, with the Under 14 coming second in the Pembrokeshire League. Since then, the teams have gone from strength to strength with the Under 14s going from six a side to a 11 a side team where they won 18 games, and losing only two.

In the soccer camp, Carys will train children between the age of three and 16 from Monday to Friday, travel back to Kansas on the Saturday and be united with her new family for a week, before going through the same process again until the end of her stay.

"Baseball and American football are the most popular sports in America but hundreds of children will be at this soccer camp. Sadly football is not really spoken about much, but it is popular and the camp will be well supported," explained Carys who won the Wales Community Coach of the Year Award for her football coaching skills.

Her father Howard is very supportive of her talents and thinks America will offer endless opportunities.

"With only 60 places left, and after two years of training in this country, it’s an offer too good to miss. All of her hard work has paid off and I hope she enjoys – it really is very exciting," said Howard.

Carys aims to return to Wales mid August to support her Under 14s football team who will take part in a football tournament in Glanllyn.