LIMA, OH (WLIO) - A local non-profit raised money to continue providing mentorship to young kids through soccer.

At the Vine Street Soccer Fields, dozens of potential future soccer stars were hard at work mastering the fundamentals and basic techniques of traveling, stopping, and maneuvering the ball with the proper movements. For the second day of camp on Wednesday, kids will focus on dribbling and shooting the ball. While the camp does emphasize and strengthen the physical skills related to the game of soccer, it also solidifies the social skills for the game of life.

The Oheneba Soccer Academy is warming up for a busy summer.

Edward Eghan is the founder executive director of the Oheneba Soccer Academy and adds, “So this fundraiser will allow us to provide over 210 scholarships for kids in this city. Especially the underserved community. So, the purpose of this gala is to raise funds for all our yearly activities.”

The Oheneba Soccer Academy is a Lima-based organization that aims to help bolster kid's feelings of self-worth and value, which will in turn help boost confidence. A game was held on collet street next to safety city, and organizers hope that kids learn important life lessons through the game of soccer.

The soccer academy continued their 2-week soccer program Tuesday evening. The program is meant to teach kids of Lima the history of the sport of soccer as well as help them with the fundamentals. It is open to anyone ages 4 to 12, and kids participating receive a free jersey, shorts, and socks. The non-profit wants to ensure that kids who cannot afford the program gets to be able to take it, and they are able to do that through donations with the main goal to mentor kids to discover who they are.

Kids a part of this year’s Oheneba Soccer Academy will not only have the opportunity to grow as a player but also gain the skills they need to succeed. About 70 kids attended the first day of camp on Tuesday night. Many students said they learned a lot and had a great time. “The first day of camp was awesome,” said Braylie Kirk, one of the participants. “I scored the first goal and I’m really happy and I’m really glad that we got to eat cookies with each other and enjoy time with each other and meet new friends.”