Local soccer club hopes to inspire next generation of soccer fans with after school program
PHILADELPHIA - As anticipation builds for the start of the FIFA World Cup, a local soccer club is offering an after school program to teach kids the most popular game in the world.
The pitch inside Webster Elementary School might be a little different from the well-manicured fields that will host 32 of the world's best teams, but the game is the same.
"It's about sparking enthusiasm," said Ian Latimer with the Kensington Soccer Club. The group is hoping to empower the community through soccer.
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"I think there's a beautiful relationship in this community, especially in Philadelphia, with the World Cup coming up, that’s going to bring really kind of a symbiotic nature to it, and we're looking forward to supporting our country as well," Latimer said.
The young players under Latimer's tutelage are improving their skills by building off the lessons taught in each session.
"Maybe in the first week or two, kids aren't happy with their performance, and then the second and third ones down the line, with these sessions after school, you really build a solid foundation," Ian said.
The FIFA World Cup kicks off this Sunday in what will be the first winter competition in the history of the event. You can watch all the action from Qatar on FOX 29.