Ten-year-old Maddie Kate Bunyard gets set to throw the ball in during a scrimmage.

As Meridian Community College’s men’s and women’s soccer coach, Mike Smith wants soccer in Lauderdale County to be the best it can possibly be.

Monday morning, Smith was doing his part by hosting the annual MCC Youth Soccer Camp, featuring girls and boys ages 4-12 who received soccer instructions by Smith and several of his men and women soccer players at MCC. The focus of the camp, which runs through Wednesday, is on key soccer fundamentals such as passing, receiving, dribbling and shooting, Smith said.

“If a kid has never played soccer, it’s a good camp,” Smith said. “It’s a good camp for someone who needs practice (as well). We also have advanced players, so we have stuff that will challenge them as well.”

The most important aspect of developing young soccer players is drilling those fundamentals into their heads early, Smith stressed.

“That’s any sport,” Smith said. “I’m sure any coach would tell you that they have to get (the fundamentals) young so it can become second nature. The older they get, the more important those skills will be. If you try to play on pure athleticism and speed when you’re young, you’re going to be behind when you’re older and everyone else is just as athletic as you.”

Working with players of a young age is also entertaining, Smith added.

“It’s fun,” Smith said. “You hear some funny stuff. It’s very fun to see them have fun, smile and laugh. When you tell them to do something and they do it and succeed, that’s the ultimate enjoyment, but the main thing is making sure they have fun.”

Anna Vincent, 10, said Smith is an “awesome” coach who makes soccer fun and teaches important skills.

“We’re learning foot skills and when to pass (versus) when you take on people,” Vincent said.

What makes Smith so fun, Vincent said, is how he’ll demonstrate incorrect fundamentals in an exaggerated manner.

“He’s funny. He’ll mess up on purpose. He’ll do the good (example), then when he does the bad one, he does this,” said Vincent as she mimicked a motion by Smith almost falling over after showing the incorrect fundamentals.

Ten-year-old Maddie Kate Bunyard said she enjoys the camp’s instructions, since they help her maintain her soccer skills and keep her from being lazy during summer break.

“It helps us move and not sit on the couch and eat potato chips,” Bunyard said.

Emma Ward, 9, said her only complaint about the camp was it being int he morning.

“I wish it was in the afternoon, because I want to sleep in late,” Ward said. “(The camp) helps with my foot skills and how to move around. I love soccer.”

Seven-year-old Hamp Ward said he enjoys soccer as well because he can “win and score goals.” As a young soccer player, he also finds MCC’s camp helpful.

“I’m learning new tricks,” Ward said. “New tricks are better (than old ones) because they teach you how to score goals.”