The World Cup, which is being played in Germany, was still going on Tuesday as a group of about 65 children played in their own mini cup at Lakeside Field.

These first- through eighth-graders are part of the Youth Soccer Camp, where they are participating for a chance to win the Fruit Cup.

Trey Skocy, an 8-year-old from Mattoon, said the Fruit Cup is his favorite part of camp because you get to shoot the ball.

Although it is his first time at Eastern’s soccer camp he has been to others around the area as well.

Trey’s mother, Lissa Skocy, said Trey has played soccer since he was five years old and brought him to Eastern’s camp because it is close and had heard that it was a good camp.

Skocy said that Trey believes that “it’s the best camp he’s ever been to.”

Soccer is his favorite sport as he likes to get out there and run a lot. His favorite part of the game is getting the chance to score a goal.

This is the main reason why when he gets older he wants to play forward, so that he can get a lot of opportunities to put the ball in the net.

Today the coaches have scheduled for the children to watch the U.S. take on Ghana in the first round of the World Cup together.

Skocy said the coaches asked all the kids to wear red, white and blue to camp to show their support for the U.S. team as they watch the game.

Another parent was watching the same Fruit Cup game as Skocy, but his son was on the opposing team.

Steve Shryock of Hillsboro brought his son, Ethan, 8, to Eastern’s camp for a chance to have experience playing with kids his own age.

He also said that Ethan got better exposure at Eastern’s camp than most camps around their area.

Because of the distance between camp and home, Shryock and his son have stayed at Eastern throughout camp.

“It’s been a nice excuse to take a vacation,” Shryock said.

He said that Ethan started playing because he saw his older brothers play and wanted to follow in their footsteps.

The people directing the camp are Eastern women’s head coach Tim Nowak and men’s head coach Adam Howarth.

Nowak said the first day of camp was a success even with the warm weather.

“It was hot so we gave the kids a bunch of water breaks, there was a lot of energy,” Nowak said.

With clear skies and the temperature in the high 80s, many people chose to stay inside, but not these children.

They have played every day for four days in the heat; playing the game that they love as their parents stand proudly on the sidelines cheering them on.