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“When do we get to tackle?”

“Can I leave my helmet on in fun time?”

“Mouthpiece. You can’t play without your mouthpiece.”

Those were often-heard remarks at the Lely Youth Football Camp at Winterberry Park this week.

Lely coach Steve Pricer and his assistants slowly worked more than 30 kids into a final day of a light tackle football.

“The goal is to teach the kids fundamentals and techniques that will help them as they move forward in football,” Pricer said. “We are also showing the (Marco Eagles) coaches approaches they can use.”

By the end of the week the kids were better at catching, throwing, running, blocking, and yes, tackling.

“This is excellent,” Eagles coach Jim Young said. “The kids and coaches are learning from the high school coaches.”

Young said half the kids at the camp have played for the Eagles and the other half have said they will.

The Eagles are an independent organization, fielding four teams, with players ages 7 to 14. They begin practice in August with games starting in September.

One participant, Hector Diaz, 10, was a bit disappointed on Wednesday.

“So far we are only blocking, I want to do some hitting,” he said. He got his wish on Thursday and today.