All agree: Soccer camp was a ball!

NORTH CANAAN—The third annual one-week summer soccer boot camp was free to all town residents and served to prepare and excite youngsters for the upcoming fall soccer season. Starting at 4:30 p.m. daily at Lawrence Field in North Canaan, first- through third-graders practiced for one hour, and fourth- through sixth-graders practiced for the next hour and a half. The week culminated with games on Aug. 19. North Canaan youth soccer board member and coach Leighann Merrill said the week-long program was a huge success, and “a great way to get a head start for the soccer year.”Merrill has been an active part of the town’s youth soccer program since it started 14 years ago. In response to a recent surge in participation, Merrill and fellow coaches Byron Gilderdale and Nancy O’Connor formed a board. This year the Canaan Foundation provided a grant that gave T-shirts to each of the 115 participants. Older players from previous years also came to help and give back to the program because, as Merrill said, “They love it!” Similar sentiments about the program were reflected by coaches, parents and players alike, all of whom seemed to genuinely be having a great time.

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