Anisa Cecunjanin of Lake Placid looks for a pass at the Lake Placid Soccer Centre camp on Tuesday Aug. 17 at the Jim Kordziel fields in Lake Placid. (News photo — Parker O’Brien)

LAKE PLACID — The Lake Placid Soccer Centre kicked off its third and final day camp on Monday, Aug. 16 at the Jim Kordziel Fields and will end on Friday, Aug. 20.

The camp, which is celebrating its 45th year, allows for participants to learn the game of soccer through the Coerver Coaching Method, which is a method to teach soccer skills to children at an early age. A major part of the method is the focus on individual skills with a soccer ball and the ability to catch a defender off-guard.

“Our kids here are getting the best that we can offer through the Coerver system,” Lake Placid Soccer Centre coach Pat Kelleher said.

The children learn basic skills, such as how to kick a ball, move properly, and where you should be on the field. Kelleher said it elevates the game for the children.

The LPSC camps offer a program to children aged 5 to 8 called Mighty-Mites, which is a half-day program. They also offer full-day programs to children aged 9 to 18.

At left, Asa Schwartzberg waits for a pass from Ryan Squire during a scrimmage at the Lake Placid Soccer Centre camp at the Jim Kordziel fields on Tuesday, Aug. 17. (News photo — Parker O’Brien)

LPSC coach and Lake Placid High School varsity soccer coach Stuart Hemsley said he likes to look after the 9- to 11-year-old group at camp and get them hooked on soccer.

“There is nowhere where kids can go and play in a safe environment. What we create here is where the kids learn. It’s pickup,” Hemsley said. “It’s the same as having a basketball hoop in the yard and people just turn up and play. They get to meet kids that they never would have spoken to before.”

Hemsley said that some modified and varsity soccer players did not come to this final camp because it is like their last hoorah with their friends and family before summer is over. He said the soccer team will start preseason practice next week, and for those who did attend who play varsity and modified soccer, it was basically a pre-preseason.

Kelleher, who has coached at other camps that use the Coerver Coaching Method, said the LPSC camp had a little over 60 participants.

“Our numbers are bigger, in Oneonta,” Kelleher said. “I just finished there and they had their club from the U8s all the way up to U15s, and they expected the kids to show up to that. That increased those numbers quite a bit. It was a larger camp than this with more staff. But they didn’t get anything more than they would get here. They just had more coaches.”

From left, Shrey Kumar, Aiden Ryan, Ryan Squire, and Ria Kumar stand as Pat Kelleher coaches at the Lake Placid Soccer Centre camp on Tuesday, Aug. 17 in Lake Placid. (News photo — Parker O’Brien)

In past years, the LPSC would hold overnight camps, but it was decided to hold all day camps this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. St. Lawrence University was predominately the main overnight camp.

St. Lawrence University has been a major part of the LPSC, as the university has hosted many camps throughout the years, including one in July. The other July camp was held in Lake Placid.

The goal of each of the LPSC camps is to teach children how to play soccer and to have fun while playing the game.

Hemsley said soccer is called the beautiful game, and it brings friends and family together.

Evan “Mr. Bean” Reynolds kicks a corner kick during a scrimmage at the Lake Placid Soccer Centre camp. (News photo — Parker O’Brien)