As in the first edition of the B1 Camp Costa Rica, the B1 staff came loaded with new content and training for the players participating in the camp, but also with many surprises and some gifts. Want to know more?
After two days of intense training under the guidance of Professors Fortuny, Bertran, Mora, Rojas, Alfaro, Marin, and Alpizar, the long-awaited challenge arrived, but this time the “contest” would be somewhat different and would be composed of three different tests.
In the first of the tests, the players would repeat the challenge started at the 2019 camp, the #Crossbarchallenge. For 5 minutes, each of the players would have different rounds of shooting from outside the box to try to touch the ball with the crossbar. Each impact was a point for the player.
For the second test, we would work on the accuracy of the shot. 4 mini goals placed in a row, and each goal with a different score. The closest goal is 1 point and the farthest (and with less angle) 4 points. The player could not repeat the shot. An interesting challenge.
The final test consisted of a precision game with hoops. 4 hoops were arranged in a row more than 15 meters from the center line and the players had to make a pass and place the ball inside the hoops. Scores similar to the goals test. The farthest hoop is 4 points while the closest hoop is only 1 point. In this game, it could be repeated as many times as hits inside the hoops were possible. Would anyone cheat?
At the end of the three tests, the teachers added up the points of each player and the winners were:
The winner of the small group was Felipe Jimenez who won an official La Liga Santander ball signed by Edgar Badia (co-founder of one of our sponsors, the glove brand TwoFive) and a B1 sweatshirt.
The player from the B1 Academy in Costa Rica, Matthew Hernandez was the winner of his group, and he got a shirt signed by the goalkeeper of Elche CF, Edgar Badia, and also a corporate sweatshirt.
The last of the winners of the contest was goalkeeper Jordan Mendez, who managed to score more points than his teammates to win gloves signed by Edgar Badia and a B1 sweatshirt.
Awards and travel
In addition to the winners after the competition, the B1 coaches decided to award a special prize to the best players in each of the groups. Technical aspects, interpretation of collective play, and flashes of genius and talent in its purest form were looked for during the four-day football clinic.
Eric Bertran was in charge of naming the first winners of the youngest group, handing out some magnificent PUMA boots to Gabriel Quesada, a skilled left-footed player, with good one-on-one skills and a great dribbling ability; and to Kian Myrie, a strong player with very good ball movement and great vision. Well deserved for these two young talents, that will hopefully use those boots to their advantage!
In the group of middle-aged players, Marc Fortuny named Steven Solis “Zurdo”, a fast, free-flowing midfielder with great vision, and Edison Vargas, a very technically gifted player, and a pure talent, as the two difference-makers. They also earned a pair of brand new PUMA cleats.
From the medium group, we also awarded the best goalkeeper of the whole camp, who won a pair of professional gloves from our partner TwoFive. The winner was none less than the agile, fast goalkeeper Isaac Rivas. Great jumping power and agility in lateral movements, in addition to very good ball control with his feet. Congratulations genius!
And finally, the best gifts were saved for last. A special prize, only reserved for the oldest group. A 1 week stay in Barcelona for the best player of the B1 Camp, Luis Hidalgo, a creative and hard-working player with a lot of elegance and a unique interpretation of the game.
But the trips to Barcelona to train with the players of the academy in Spain did not end here, as the Ticos Fabian Rojas and Johel Gil were also chosen as the best players of the camp and will have the opportunity to travel to Barcelona to experience the B1 lifestyle. They all showed their interest and desire to continue working hard to prove that Costa Rica has a lot of talent.
Luis, the winner of the trip to Barcelona gave us these words:
“It is an honor to have been chosen as the best player of the camp. Going to Barcelona is a dream and I hope to enjoy it to the fullest, learn every second and throw all that knowledge into the bag, because in the end that’s what makes you better.”