EDWARDSBURG — A world-famous soccer star is bringing his camp back to Edwardsburg.

The Edwardsburg Sports Complex is hosting the Beasley Soccer Camp, created by player DeMarcus Beasley, this summer. The camp will begin on Monday, July 23, and end on Friday, July 27. The camp is from youth ages 5 through 17.

“It’s really neat,” said Jennifer Mackling, the executive director of the ESC. “This is our third year hosting the camp. I have heard nothing but good things about it. Parents are always happy that they’re doing skills training. Their coaches are all certified. They have international players that come and coach. They do skills training, so kids are actually getting better a soccer, but it’s just so much fun.”

Beasley is a Fort Wayne, Indiana native and the only American male to play in four World Cups. He has played soccer all over the world in countries such as England, Mexico, the Netherlands and the United States for some of the most popular clubs in the world such as Manchester City and the Chicago Fire.

“He played for the U.S. National team, and now he plays for the Houston Dynamo, [a Major League Soccer team],” Mackling said. He’s an old guy in professional soccer now, but it’s neat that he’s kind of a hometown guy.”

Beasley is currently in the middle of his season with the Dynamo, so he will be unable to attend the camp this year. However, he will Facetime the participants on occasion and answer their soccer-related questions.

His camp includes a variety of different pieces of training, such as a fundamental camp for youth ages 5 through 8, a creative footwork and striker camp for kids ages nine through 17 and a goalkeeping camp, also for players ages 9 through 17.

“We always have a really good mix of talent and everybody’s just there to have fun, so we’ve always enjoyed having it,” Mackling said.

Participants who attend the event will need to pack a lunch. However, there is one day where the camp provides a pizza party. Additionally, all camp participants will receive a Beasley camp T-shirt and soccer ball. There will be opportunities through the camp to win prizes, including autographed memorabilia from Beasley.

Then, on the last day of camp, there is a water balloon fight.

“We have pretty warm weather since our camp is in July, so they do a big water balloon fight,” Mackling said. “The guys at Edwardsburg Fire Department have been nice enough to come and they’ll spray their tanker truck up in the air and they’ll soak everybody. It’s just such a fun time.”

According to Mackling, this fun-first nature makes it the ideal camp for soccer players of all skill levels and ambitions.

“To me, this is a really good camp for kids that just want to place soccer to stay active and also kids that take soccer really seriously and are maybe hoping to play at a higher level one day,” she said.

Participants that are registered by April 25 will be entered into a drawing to receive two tickets to the Houston Dynamo’s game at the Chicago Fire on May 20, as well as the chance to meet Beasley and other players after the game. To register, visit Edwardsburgsportscomplex.org.