As a morning of heavy rain parted to clear skies, two World Cup teams battled for control of the coveted title on August 2.

It was not real World Cup teams competing on the damp Dartmouth Youth Soccer Association fields, but rather 50 kids enrolled in the Sidekick Soccer Academy summer clinic program, which runs August 1-4.

“It’s meant to be a fun and educational program in the summer,” Sidekick Soccer Academy Executive Director and co-founder Zach Rocha said. “Soccer is a very popular sport in this community.”

Kids start each day by lining up at one of several training stations throughout the soccer fields. Each station hones in on a specific skills—including passing and receiving, strength and conditioning, and attack and scoring techniques—while featuring one-on-one training by coaches. The students rotate through stations throughout the morning.

The second half of the day is spent competing in a mock World Cup tournament. The kids split into teams and take on the role of a real World Cup team, while also learning logistical elements of team building, such as trading and team management.

Rocha added that he turns the World Cup component into a classroom lesson as well, inviting his students to inquire about the cultures of each country the World Cup teams represent. Students are encouraged to research each country and bring in symbols and other cultural items.