GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Children came out to learn, play and show off their best skills last Tuesday evening.

Kick it With KJ made its debut at the Augusta Savage Community Center, allowing local youth from 5 to 12 to have fun and learn the game of soccer.

The free event was created by rising high school junior Kenneth Jones Jr., who wanted to introduce more athletic opportunities for youth.

“The biggest thing is having fun while you’re playing a sport. Especially when you’re younger, learning the game and getting better at it,” Jones said.

To begin the event, guests circled the grassy area to stretch and prepare for an evening of play. After getting their blood flowing with toe touches and jumping jacks, the children transitioned into drill sections. Children learned different dribbling and kicking techniques.

Following the drill practices, children played in a big-sided game, where they were split into two groups and given red and blue team jerseys.

Naming themselves the Thunderbolts and Sharks, the teams battled on the field, putting all their newly learned skills together and vying for the winning title. Cheers could be heard as teams ran up and down the field, scoring goals along the way. To end the day, the children huddled, with hands in the middle, to yell one last chant: “fun.”

Jones said he began planning for the event last year when talking to his mom about the lack of knowledge surrounding the sport in Green Cove Springs. Jones said he wanted to create the event to provide more of this knowledge for local children.

Playing soccer since he was 3 and well-versed in the sport, his knowledge of the beloved sport came easy to him. Currently, Jones plays for St. Thomas Aquinas High in Fort Lauderdale.

Jones said with support from family and Amazon, he was able to provide soccer gear and supplies for the children. With the success of his first event, Jones said he already has plans for another one.

“I want to try to do this next year, again, 100%. It was a good turn out … [I] hope to get even more. So, we’re going to try to get it even better as we go on each year,” Jones said.

Until then, Jones hopes to leave a lasting mark on local youth, encouraging them to try their best and continue to play the game, even if it’s just for fun.

“I just want the kids to know that they’re amazing and that [if] they continue to work and become better, they can do anything,” Jones said.