For seven-year-old Gabriel Havasi, football has quickly become a big part of his life. Through Kellogg’s Football Camps, delivered by Derby County, he has been able to develop his game and spend his school holidays doing something he loves.

Gabriel’s mum, Eloisa Ermita, first discovered the camps while scrolling online. She was drawn to the sessions after seeing how engaged the children were and felt they would be a great way for Gabriel to spend his holidays doing something he already loved.

After his day at the camp, Gabriel was already keen to return. Eloisa said: “After that first session, he said, ‘Mummy, they’re going to have it again all summer.’ So, I wanted to sign him up.”

Booking further days at the camp was just as simple, with Eloisa making three bookings on her phone in around 10 minutes. “It’s absolutely straightforward and easy,” she said. Gabriel went on to attend regularly at the Derby Racecourse Hub, including the first 15 days of the camp this summer.

Gabriel already loved scoring goals and particularly enjoyed playing as a striker, but Eloisa could see that there were other areas of his game he could develop.

“We quickly realised that he’s actually quite good and accurate when it comes to his striking into the goal. He really enjoys being a striker. But the problem is, it’s not only about being a striker, he needs to be able to do the dribbling part, the passing part. And I think this camp has provided so much of that. We can see he’s improved a lot in that aspect.”

The camps have given Gabriel the opportunity to work on those different aspects of his game through activities including Five Star Skill Moves, 1v1 games, skills challenges and tournaments.

Gabriel feels he has already made progress in several areas, saying: “I’ve learnt dribbling, passing, shooting, tackling and intercepting.”

For Eloisa, however, the impact of the camps goes beyond football. She has seen Gabriel become more confident and develop his ability to listen and take instruction from his coaches.

She said: “Gabriel can be really, really playful. But when he knows that he needs to listen carefully to the coaches, he’s given so much emphasis on, ‘Mummy, I’m listening carefully.’”

Gabriel has also made new friends through the camps, while the relationships he has built with the coaches have helped him feel comfortable and included.

Eloisa said: “Gabriel has made new friends, which is fantastic to see. Also, the connection the staff build with Gabriel has been amazing. He thoroughly enjoys the friendly and approachable nature of the staff, and the jokes that they do. Every single day, he comes with a smile.”

For Eloisa, that enjoyment is an important part of Gabriel’s development and why he continues to come back: “He enjoys the camp. It’s not only about pushing your kids, but also let them enjoy the whole journey and the process. Because naturally, if he does enjoy it, he’s going to do well anyway.”

She also values the environment the camps provide, particularly the sense of inclusion and safety for children. She said: “It’s about being part of an inclusive community where at the heart of it all is about providing a safe and secure environment for the kids.”

Gabriel’s enthusiasm for the camps has even encouraged several of his friends to attend after hearing him talk about his experiences.

“I’d absolutely highly recommend the camps,” Eloisa said.

For Gabriel, the camps have become another opportunity to develop his football while simply enjoying the game he loves. Asked to describe Kellogg’s Football Camps in three words, he said: “Challenging, fun and epic.”

And his message to anyone thinking about attending was: “You’ll have an amazing time.”