MOULTRIE — Rain may have interrupted play in the new Elementary School Soccer League today, but it hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of the players or the league organizers.

The league, which is a cooperative effort between the Moultrie YMCA and the Colquitt County school system, has six teams from five county schools and plays games on Saturday mornings at the YMCA.

Burt Spence, the YMCA’s sports director, says he league has some 60 players, including about 50 playing soccer for the first time.

And that was the league’s aim.

“We’re trying to reach kids that don’t normally play with us,” Spence said. “We want to get the kids who don’t play here or can’t get here. A lot of these kids have never played before.”

The idea for the league came out of meeting of the YMCA’s soccer committee.

The Y took the idea to Colquitt County Athletic Director Darius Dawson and School Superintendent Leonard McCoy and then to the principals of the elementary schools.

The aim was to have a team from each school. All showed interest, although Hamilton, Stringfellow and Cox did not have enough players to form a team.

Norman Park, Odom, R.B. Wright, Sunset and Funston had enough players to field teams.

In fact, Norman Park has two teams in the league.

“We definitely want to get Stringfellow, Cox and Hamilton next year,” Spence said.

The league is open to fourth- and fifth-graders. It is hoped that many of them will learn enough to play next at the middle school level.

The Saturday morning matches have drawn crowds that include parents and friends and members of the Colquitt County High soccer teams who come to cheer the younger players.

Spence said if the league continues to be successful, the concept could be expanded to include other sports, with each school perhaps having its own basketball or other team.

The R.B. Wright team is coached by the school’s physical education teacher Holly Lewis and is assisted by Jay Ussery and Darrell Moore.

The players are Amber Boyd, Cassandra Buckman, Meredith Fuller, Ryan Littleton, Taylor Mock, Donovan Price, Rachel Stallings, Ferrell Tyndall, Ryan Wallace, Karisma Clark, Garrett Castleman, Morgan Wilson, Garrett Moore, Grace Bradley and Tyler Floyd.

The Norman Park teams are coached by PE teacher Carrie Parker, Nikki Lacey, Jessie Williams and Denise Pope.

Playing for Norman Park 2, coached by Parker, are Devin Brinson, Megan Crawley, Douglas Dawson, Leigh Hamby, Allison Mills, Brandon Pena, Brittany Riggins, Ricardo Rodriguez, Alana Sellers, Vanessa Vega, Naelvis Velasquez, Jacob Yarbrough and Hector Badilla.

Norman Park 1, coached by Pope, includes John Baker, Cade Blackburn, Jose Dominguez, Amber Harrison, Carly Beth Horne, Kiana Landrum, Mickey Myrick, Robert Myrick, Alexa Quiroga, Anthony Salazar, Hana Troutman and Jorge Martinez.

Leanne Owens and Lara Littleton are coaching the Odom team, which includes Jaden Barnes, Hanna Lyn Pyles, Tyler Lopez, Sean Lumpkin, Savanna McMillan, Ashton Owens, Kerri Owens, Clay Tillman, Jay Tucker, Abram Villanueva, Megan Willis and Gustavo Garcia.

Spence is coaching the Funston and Sunset teams. Playing for Sunset are Anna Davis, Jordan Duran, Janna-Lyn McMullen, Caitlynn Meadows, Lynne Miller, Luke Brinson, Grace McChristial, Braden Traylor and Tyler Edgar.

The Funston team includes Anayely Corona, Gage Humbers, Raul Malagon, Esbin Soto, Joaquin Torres, Sonia Torres and Jonathon Cruz.