Wildcats Teach TOPS Clinic
On Aug. 20, the Kentucky men?s soccer team reached out to the community by teaching a one-hour soccer clinic to children with disabilities at Mike Miller Park in Marshall County, Kentucky.
?It is extremely important for our program to interact with the community and the TOPS clinic reinforced to our players how privileged they are to have the opportunity to play soccer at the University of Kentucky,? Kentucky head coach Ian Collins said.
During the hour, the UK team worked with more than 25 youth, interacting with them through numerous soccer drills to teach the fundamentals of the game. Following the soccer action, the team joined the young players and their families for a cookout.
?It was great to see so many people smiling and having a having a great time with the game of soccer,? Collins added. ?The enthusiasm of everyone there was awesome. It was a fun time for our team and everyone involved.?
The session came as the Wildcats returned home from their first exhibition game of the year, a draw against Michigan State.
UK Trains at Kentucky Lake
After holding the TOPS clinic, the men?s soccer team traveled to Kentucky Lake for four days of training and team building. The team stayed at Big Bear Resort and held two-a-day practices at Mike Miller Park.
Between practices, the team had the chance to take advantage of the lake by going boating, jet-skiing and cliff diving. It was the first time for the UK team to take such a preseason trip.
?It was a great chance for our team to bond and for our staff to teach our system,? Collins said. ?The players worked extremely hard, but were also able to enjoy themselves on the lake while they were there. It was a worthwhile experienced and one we hope to repeat.?
Kentucky Hopes to Set Attendance Record in Opener
When Kentucky takes the field for the season opener on Friday night against in-state rival Louisville, the Wildcats hope to set a school attendance record.
It will be student night and the first 100 students in attendance receive a free UK soccer t-shirt while anyone wearing a soccer jersey gets in free. Fans also have the chance to win two tickets to Sunday?s UK-UofL football game.
Besides the giveaways, there will be a number of activities for fans to enjoy at the game. Outside the gates, there will be a Big Slide and Soccer Kick inflatables set up. As always, fans are also encouraged to tailgate prior to kickoff.
The current record is 3,003 fans, which came out in 1997 to see UK take down rival Bowling Green. A year ago, the second-largest crowd in school history, 2,458, watched as UK battled national champion Indiana to a draw.
