ENGLAND COMPLETES 4-DAY CHAMPIONS TROPHY TRAINING AND BONDING CAMP AT DESERT SPRINGS RESORT IN SPAIN

Champions Trophy 2017: England completes successful Champions Trophy training camp at Desert Springs Resort in Spain

England squad completes a successful four-days training & bonding camp in the build up to the Champions Trophy at Desert Springs Resort in Almeria, Andalucía, Spain.

 

Fifteen (15) members of the England Cricket Squad, accompanied by twelve (12) Management, staff and coaches are now back in England having completed a successful 4-day pre-series bonding and training camp between Tuesday 16^th – Friday 19^th May in the build up to the Champions Trophy at Desert Springs Resort, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course with its very own dedicated Cricket Academy, in the Almanzora region of Almeria, Andalucía in south-east Spain.

Trevor Bayliss, ECB Head Coach remarked of Desert Springs Resort and the training camp;

“An environment full of opportunities to do not much at all or work as hard as we did these 4 days! Thanks for the hospitality.”

The focus of the training camp was to ensure that Eoin Morgan’s side are in the best possible shape – not just for the Champions Trophy, but also for the three-match series against South Africa beginning at Headingley on May 24th.

The camp was designed to be a relaxed affair, to provide an opportunity for the players to both work seriously on their fielding skills and fitness levels, whilst at the same time having the opportunity to benefit from the extensive resort facilities with planned bonding activities.

Players mobilisation around the resort via mountain bikes, a couple of rounds of golf on the highly acclaimed championship Indiana course, team meetings and social evenings at the Crocodile Club restaurant were all par for the course!

 

England ODI Captain Eoin Morgan remarked of his experience;

“What an amazing time we have had here. Everything from the service to the facilities has been as good as we get anywhere in the world!

I would like to thank everyone who played a part in making our camp the best!”

 

England Captain Joe Root commented;

“It’s been an outstanding few days. Everything has been run extremely well, great facilities, weather and golf course!

Thanks for a very enjoyable and beneficial trip!”

 

Jos Buttler remarked of his experience; “Thanks to everyone at Desert Springs, another fantastic stay with the service to match, everyone has been so accommodating of our every need.

The facilities and villas have been awesome, as is the golf course and I look forward to seeing you all again soon!”

 

 

Dr. Mark Wotherspoon, ECB Team Doctor commented:

“Another fantastic few days. Excellent hospitality, facilities & food etc.

People were available, willing and able to help whenever needed, a really great few days!”

 

Phil Neale, England Team Operations Manager remarked of Desert Springs Resort and the training camp;

“Once again a really enjoyable stay, great hospitality and training facilities and excellent food!”

 

Simon Coaker, Sales & Marketing Manager for The Almanzora Group Ltd. said;

“Since the introduction of the Cricket Academy facilities at Desert Springs Resort in 2013 we have been host to numerous professional cricket teams for pre-season training camps; Lancashire CCC, Sussex CCC, Glamorgan CCC, Somerset CCC & Yorkshire CCC to name but a few, as well as numerous amateur university, college and school teams.

After the success of the inaugural visit to the resort which took place ahead of the Ashes in 2015 we were delighted to welcome the England team back once again for their preparations leading up to the forthcoming Champions Trophy.

It was clear to see that this training camp recreated the intensity of the teams inaugural visit to the resort which resulted in Alastair Cook’s team claiming the Ashes victory and we sincerely hope that this camp results in England’s first ever victory of the Champions Trophy in June.”

 

• For details of Cricket, Golf & Sports Training Camps, Corporate Golf Events and Meetings at Desert Springs call 01242 680 116 or visit the website, desertspringsresort.es
• To find out more about the Desert Springs Cricket Academy visit the website:
• http://www.desertspringsresort.es/home/sport-camps/cricket-camps/

 

Additional background Information

Warm weather winter training camps at Desert Springs

Desert Springs, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course, is already known as a resort specialising in family holidays, however it has rapidly gained popularity as a centre for warm-weather training for cricketers, athletes, and footballers, as well as golfers and is proving to be one of the most popular destinations for sports warm weather winter training camps.

All sports camps to Desert Springs are bespoke. If desired, the programme can include time away from the resort for some local sightseeing in what many regard as ‘the real Spain.’

During their stay attendees have opportunities to swim, play tennis and use the gymnasium, trim trail, jogging tracks, paddle tennis and beach volley ball courts.

Desert Springs is easy to reach from the UK, thanks to three international airports. They are: Almeria Airport, 40 minutes by car; Murcia Airport, 80 minutes by car, and Alicante Airport which is a drive of less than two hours. Airlines currently flying to the region from the UK include British Airways, EasyJet, Monarch, Ryanair, Jet2, and Fly Thomas Cook.

Accommodation is provided in the apartments, townhouses and villas available for holidays and short breaks at Desert Springs. Meals are served in the resort’s Croc Restaurant, part of the family-friendly Crocodile Club that is geared up for a wide variety of leisure activities and the award winning El Torrente Restaurant at the Club House.

 

The Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club

Facilities already completed and in use at Desert Springs Resort include:

• The Indiana course, a par 72 -18-hole USGA specification golf course, designed by former Great Britain and Ireland Golf Team Captain Peter McEvoy who was inspired by the desert courses of Arizona and California;
• a golf academy whose PGA qualified teaching professionals cater for several international teams, for the women’s elite squads of the Golf Union of Wales and for many of the English County Union’s elite squads; PGA European Tour, PGA Europro Tour and LET players.
• two tennis courts, two paddle courts, beach volley ball and two football pitches – one is a full-size grass pitch; the other is designed for five-a-side games;
• a Cricket Academy with facilities that comprise; twenty-four (24) grass wickets and run up with nets, one artificial wicket with nets, a full length artificial grass wicket, a Professional Bola Bowling Machine with 28 ball feeder, a slip catch cradle and a specific hard standing area, which provides outside space for facilities such as a free weights gym, stretching mats and a medical area.
• a Spanish colonial style Golf Club House with a lounge, bar, restaurant, locker rooms, TV and reading rooms, and a Ralph Lauren Golf Boutique;
• The Crocodile Club which provides family fun at the heart of the resort with pools, equipped sand play areas, a kid’s battery powered John Deere Gator circuit and a games room as well as a Jacuzzi, sun lawns and a pool bar;
• a health and fitness club and spa.

 

Awards

Desert Springs Resort was awarded Best Golf Resort for Groups in Europe by the 2016 European Group Travel Awards (EGTA). The Indiana Course at Desert Springs Resort has also been recognised as the 6th Best Golf Course in Spain, based on the reviews of players who rated the course on the Leading Courses website. Out of the 345 courses present on this ranking the Indiana Course at Desert Springs occupies 6th place with a score of 8,8/10, and awards Desert Springs Golf Club with the “Outstanding” badge. This distinction is only given to the best 10 courses in the country.

Desert Springs Resort has been awarded the Daily Mail Best Almeria Award and the Bentley          International Property Awards for the Best Spain Development and Best Architecture, as well as the Spanish National Madera Verde Prize for Environmentally Sensitive Development & SICTED award          for the distinction of “Commitment to Tourism Quality”.

El Torrente Restaurant has received the New Millennium International Gastronomy Award for the    Tourist, Hotel and Catering Industry. This award was created by the Trade Leaders Club with the aim      of distinguishing companies from all countries, for the outstanding quality of their products or services.

 

The climate of the Almanzora coastal region

Desert Springs takes it name from the region’s desert microclimate, which is unique in Europe. It has the warmest winter weather on the continent with an annual average of more than nine hours of daily sunshine and maximum daily temperatures of between 16°C (60°F) and 30°C (86°F) throughout the year.  Annual rainfall is less than 200 mm.  The Almanzora coastal waters are among the cleanest and warmest in Europe, attracting both fish and diving enthusiasts.

Reader enquiries: NOTE: High Resolution Images available upon request.

Simon Coaker The Almanzora Group Ltd The Manor, Boddington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL51 0TJ Tel: +44 (0) 1242 680116 e: scc@almanzora.com www.desertspringsresort.es