Using ladders purchased from the Georgia United grant, Coach Colby Simpson runs a warmup drill. Hudson Glenn (yellow shirt) demonstrates the drill on the further ladder.

MOULTRIE – About 30 Colquitt County children ages 8-12 are participating in the new biweekly soccer program specifically designed for members of the Boys and Girls Club of Moultrie.

“Practices are twice a week for an hour and a half,” said Coach Colby Simpson, who is also the head coach for the varsity Packers soccer team. “The program runs from September to November, and is free for those who are a member of the Boys and Girls Club.”

This program was possible because Georgia United donated a grant for all the equipment needed, even down to shin guards and socks for those who couldn’t provide their own.

“They were so generous,” said Simpson. “Everything from the balls to the practice pennies to even 3v3 goals.”

The Practices are held at CA Gray Middle School, and the children are bused in from the Boys and Girls Clubhouse by Lateegra Fiveash.

“She has been an amazing help in getting this program off the ground,” said Simpson.

The goal is to have this program not only get these kids excited about the sport, but also teach them key components.

“We want to develop the basic skills and techniques of playing the game,” said Simpson. “Right now we are in house, but we have reached out to other programs in Moultrie and Albany in hopes of expanding the scrimmages.”

To help build those basic fundamentals, each practice will have a structured pattern: warm ups, agility, cone passing and small group scrimmages.

Oswaldo Leon, Irineo Martinez, Hudson Glenn and Christian Mata from the varsity Packer players along with Krystal Guerrero, Chelsea Moreno, Melanie Avila and Isobel Luttrell, who are all Lady Packers, all volunteered their time to participate to assist.

The Packer and Lady Packer players demonstrated proper technique from everything to the warm up exercises to dribbling and passing.

“It’s nice to have the older kids here to help the younger,” said Simpson. “Everyone has fun, and they are leaders by example.”