The Troy University soccer field has played host to a soccer camp all week and over 20 kids have been learning the game from the Trojans.

The camp has featured kids from the age of 4 all the way up to age 11, all of which are eager to learn the game of soccer.

“We have 20 to 25 kids and we are trying to keep them busy playing soccer,” said Troy head coach Ged O’Connor. “We are getting them to try something new on the soccer field.”

For the majority of participants, this camp is for learning the fundamentals of the game from the ground up.

“We are playing switching and dribbling games,” O’Connor said. “The more touches they get on the ball, the more comfortable they get and the more skilled. We’re doing little games like that, trying to keep them active. A big part of it is we want them to go home nice and tired at the end of the night. The important thing is fun and excitement and it’s a very safe environment.”

The children are being taught by O’Connor along with assistant coach Joe Connon. The participants are also getting special instruction by the players of the Troy soccer team.

“We have had a couple different players come in,” O’Connor said. “It’s mainly myself and Joe coaching with the players assisting.”

One of the goals of the camp is to spread the popularity of the sport and, so far, the participants had a positive reaction.

“Everyone is coming back each day and we have had more kids move from doing for just a half day to doing it for a full day,” O’Connor said. “Obviously this is a baseball, basketball and football area. Soccer is the cheapest sport. You can throw down a couple cones, grab a soccer ball and they can play. The more we can introduce the local community to soccer, hopefully we can get them out to watch our games. They can see our soccer players who have been helping them play in an actual game environment.”