Over 150 children are spending this week on the soccer pitch learning about the game and making new friends.

Soccer Without Boundaries is hosting the camp for new Canadians, refugees and low income families.

This is the seventh year for the camp which has grown far beyond expectations.

“Soccer is very familiar to everyone in the world,” says Soccer Without Boundaries Jean-Claude Munyezamu.” When kids come to Canada they can’t speak English and they are very shy. They are different. However, when you throw the ball on the ground they just find themselves.”

He says the kids who were at the camp last year are now translating for the children coming in this year.

One of those children is 14-year-old Qusai Kiwan.

He came to Canada last year and only spoke a little English but this year it’s a much different story and now he’s helping to translate.

“If someone came and I have to tell them something they don't understand English, only Arabic, so I translate,” says Kiwan.

Moneer Mehalel is volunteering for the first time this year.

“Soccer is a sport they can all play, cause it's all around the world right, and I think it's a good way to involve all the children,” he says.

Last year, children from about 22 different countries attended this camp and organizers believe that’s the case again this year.

Organizers say soccer is an international language.

“The game in my experience in coaching soccer, and doing camps in other countries in the world, you see different approaches to the game, and it's always nice that we as Canadians that we can take those approaches and apply them,” says head coach Brian Carnduff.

Moneer Mehalel is volunteering for the first time this year.

“Soccer is a sport they can all play, cause it's all around the world right, and I think it's a good way to involve all the children,” he says.

Sherry Razckowski’s three grandchildren are at the camp this year and she’s volunteering and says it’s encouraging to see how the children are interacting with each other.

“There are so many kids here, and the interactions, some of the kids they know because they've been here year after year, and they just pick up where they left off with their friendships, and it's really excellent,” says Raczkowski.

Soccer Without Boundaries runs all the week at the Glenbrook Community Centre located at 3524 45 Street Southwest.

This year the camp concludes with a match against the Calgary police soccer team on Friday, August 25.