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Herbert Steadman gives a demonstration on a drill Wednesday during a summer soccer camp at Adams County Christian School. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Children from 7th grade to 12th grade practice drills during the summer soccer camp at Adams County Christian School Wednesday in Natchez. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Children from 7th grade to 12th grade practice drills during the summer soccer camp at Adams County Christian School Wednesday in Natchez. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Halle Peterman dribbles the ball down the field during a drill at the summer soccer camp at Adams County Christian School Wednesday in Natchez. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Zoe Loomis drinks a cup of water during a break at the summer soccer camp at Adams County Christian School Wednesday in Natchez. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Nolan Owens, 16, dribbles a ball while demonstrating a drill Wednesday during a summer soccer camp at Adams County Christian School. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

By TIM GUERCIO

THE NATCHEZ DEMOCRAT

NATCHEZ — A three-day soccer camp for boys and girls ages 3 years old to 12th-grade students is underway at Adams County Christian School, said Jimmy Allgood, the ACCS head soccer coach.

The camp will continue from 9 a.m. until noon on today and Friday.

Allgood said today the will play a match on the ACCS soccer field starting at 11 a.m., and everyone will eat pizza and go swimming from noon to 1:30 p.m.

The camp exists for learning the game of soccer or for improving skills players might already have on the pitch, Allgood said.

Allgood, who said he is a student of the game and a lover of the sport, said that for eight years he learned the game and as he traveled he saw how big the game was around the world.

Allgood has invited two professional soccer players to Natchez to share what they know with approximately 45 young athletes and aspiring team players.

“Herbert Steadman and Jeremiah Dent are teaching the game and running these kids through every fundamental drill in the book,” Allgood said. “We have kids here from every school in the area including Franklin County, Monterrey and Ferriday.”

Allgood said that he was excited, and felt lucky to get current Natchezian Herb “The Barber” Steadman to share his pro tips.

“Herb is from Shreveport and had a pro soccer tryout once,” Allgood said. “He will be going into the Navy in December.”

Allgood had a teacher to guide him around his newly discovered sport.

“I learned about the game of soccer from my mentor Dr. Kofi Kumi,” Allgood said. “It wasn’t until later that I discovered that he played for Ghana in the Olympics.”

Allgood said that after watching sixth-graders play in a city league tournament in Vidalia he wanted to start a soccer team at ACCS.

“I asked Dr. Frank Guedon who was on the board at ACCS if I could start a soccer program at ACCS,” Allgood said. “He called Buddy Wade who was the headmaster then, and thus the program began.”

Allgood said that to date, 16 graduates from ACCS have been offered or signed scholarships to play soccer in college.

“Danyel Weir is our first Division I signee,” Allgood said. “She will play at Alcorn this year. We also have two kids who came up through our camps; they are twins Emily and Kyle Williams. Emily signed with Southwest Mississippi College in Summit and Kyle played through High School fighting his way through knee injuries.”

The ACCS program has come from nothing, to competing for the boys MAIS State Championship; thanks to the hard work and success of the summer soccer camps, Allgood said.

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