In Leesburg 11 kids worked on the basics of the world's most popular sport.
LEESBURG, GA. -- It was a dramatic day on the pitch for team U.S.A. Friday, eekking out a tie against Slovenia.
A late goal by Michael Bradley keeps the U.S. in the hunt to advance to the next stage of the World Cup.
But before any of the players were able to play on the world's largest stage, they had to start someplace small. Like Leesburg, where 11 kids worked on the basics of the world's most popular sport.
Craig Ingram came all the way from England to coach the kids at the YMCA camp.
“We start off by doing the ball mastery like certain tricks and turns, and then we break it up and have some fun games,” said Ingram.
The children range from ages 8 to 14. And here they're not working on being stars, the real goal is to perfect the fundamentals.
For Conner Scott, it’s his first soccer camp.
“It's good because I can take it slowly and just absorb the information,” said Scott.
And they're in that Georgia heat 3 hours every day, from 9 a.m. until noon, but you’ll only smiles and enthusiasm.
Soccer continues to be one of the fastest growing sports in America and having a good team at the world cup doesn't hurt. In fact organizers in Lee County say if the team continues to do well they expect to see more kids at next year's camp.
“Most of them are first timers,” said Ingram. “Soccer it's picking up in America now. A lot of them are playing it, especially girls. We get a lot of them that have already played before but if not that's okay.”
To find out more about youth sports camps at the YMCA click here.
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