LAFC Hosts Youth Soccer Camp in Macon During Club World Cup Preparations

MACON, Georgia – (41NBC/WMGT) – With summer in full swing and kids across Middle Georgia looking for ways to beat boredom, a once-in-a-lifetime experience arrived Wednesday evening at Five Star Stadium — courtesy of one of Major League Soccer’s premier clubs.

While in town preparing for the FIFA Club World Cup, Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) took time out of their training schedule to give back to the Macon community by hosting a free youth soccer camp. More than 100 local children participated in the event, running through a variety of skill-based drills including passing, dribbling, and shooting — all under the guidance of some of the top professional soccer players in the country.

LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo was on hand and spoke about the importance of community outreach and the unique opportunity the camp provided.

“It’s wonderful. Spending time in the afternoon with some kids, seeing some happy faces, and teaching them new things is personally very gratifying,” Cherundolo said. “It’s why I do my job. Giving back to the community is important to LAFC, but also to me personally.”

Cherundolo added that while his players were helping campers improve their fundamentals, they were also on the lookout for emerging talent.

“I would love to see some talented players out there who are eager to get better, and we’ll do our best to help,” he said.

In addition to the camp, Cherundolo reflected on the team’s time in Macon as they prepare for their upcoming Club World Cup match.

“It’s very relaxing. Los Angeles can be pretty fast, and it’s nice to unplug a little bit and slow down,” he said. “The facilities have been top-notch. Everything we need has been provided in style — beautiful campus, amazing personnel. We are ready.”

LAFC will play their second group stage match of the FIFA Club World Cup on Friday at 6 p.m. at GEODIS Park in Nashville.