MARYSVILLE — As the popularity of youth football has grown in Marysville, so has the corresponding youth football camp which took place at Marysville-Pilchuck High School the week before fall ball practice kicked off Aug. 3.

With practices beginning for the Greater Snohomish County Youth Football League, players from Marysville’s teams — ranging in age from about 6 to 14 — were led through exercises by their youth football coaches and members of the Marysville-Pilchuck varsity squad.

“This is our seventh year with the camp,” said Marysville Grizzlies coach Kevin Daurie. “It started out with 50 kids and we have 260 now.”

The weeklong camp primarily focused on teaching and refreshing players on the fundamentals of football. With players rotating through stations, kids worked on different drills in short time spurts. At one station, high school players instructed their younger counterparts on a proper stance to come off of the line and held tackling dummies for the boys to go after. At another, wide receivers worked on short routes, catching passes from teammates. Still others honed players’ footwork or form.

All levels of experience with the game came through each station.

“For some kids, it might be the first time they’ve tackled somebody,” Daurie said, adding his appreciation for the participation from the high school players and their head coach, Brandon Carson.

While the younger players naturally look up to the high school athletes, the participation of those players demonstrates the kind of responsibility Daurie said he and Carson both look for from their players.

“We share a philosophy that you have to earn the right to play football,” he said.