VERSAILLES — The Versailles High School volleyball program hosted their youth camp from July 23-25 for kids grades first through sixth at the high school gym and the elementary school gym.

Versailles volleyball head coach Liz McNeilan said it’s a fun time teaching the young kids the game and have her high school players interact with them. It’s a chance for the campers to build relationships with the players they watch from the stands during the fall.

It’s also a great way for the program to give back to the Versailles community. McNeilan said the coaches teach the players life lessons during the season and this is one of them.

“It’s one of the best things about growing up in a small community is always giving back. One of those things that we always like to teach our girls, part of the program, yes we like teach them volleyball but it’s bigger than volleyball,” McNeilan said. “There’s a lot of life lessons that they learn and these are one of them.”

The campers got to go through different drills and play different games while sharpening their volleyball skills.

McNeilan and her coaches set up the different drills while the high school players coached the campers through them. McNeilan said it’s fun as a coach to put her players in these coaching roles and watch them grow as leaders.

“Sometimes I like to step back and make them go outside of their comfort zone to become leaders and teach them those leadership skills. That is going to be what we see when it goes to the court. Hopefully, they can learn those skills and be pushed out of their comfort zone a little bit. Take those skills with them now, but later in life as well,” McNeilan said.