To the Editor:
As spring draws to a close, so too does the minor soccer season. Starting in late April, local fields have been full of eager young athletes perhaps experiencing the game for the first time or working hard to hone the skills acquired in past years. The official soccer season ended in late June but until then close to 200 youths were playing soccer here in our valley this spring. That is something to celebrate. So much is made of kids not getting enough outdoor time or enough exercise these days, so it was encouraging that the number of kids registered for soccer this year was quite strong.
One drawback that comes with this burst of youthful energy, though, is a lack of adult volunteers to help run the soccer program. Everyone involved on the field is a volunteer: all coaches, coaching helpers, managers and all the people who make sure the fields are booked, there are balls to kick, goals to score into and pylons to dribble around. (Only the referees and linesmen during tournament games get paid.) Volunteers this year have worked very hard to keep the program going. However, as these volunteers’ children grow up and move on, so do the parents. They “retire” from their volunteer positions and hope the next crop of parents pick up the reigns and carry on so that the kids can keep on playing.
And that is where you come in. If you are not a parent of a soccer player but you are interested in being involved, great! We want to hear from you. If you are the parent of soccer players, hopefully your kids have enjoyed the experience so much that registration for next year is a given. Hopefully, you have stayed on the field and watched as your children have mastered a new skill or, even better, you have stepped in and helped out, because in the case of soccer, the more help the better. Hopefully, you have appreciated the fact that a local soccer program is available to your kids. And hopefully you have thought about the fact that maybe you can help out in some way so that soccer can continue to be a part of the spring season here in Creston.
In terms of coaching, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the idea of coaching a sport that you may not be very familiar with or may not have played yourself. The truth is, there are many resources that can be made available to anyone interested, from coaching clinics to preset soccer drills for practices. If you have an interest in helping, the soccer association can provide you with all the tools you need to have fun on the field and to make a difference in children’s lives.
We are already planning for next year. Why not consider joining us? Visit crestonvalleysoccer.com for more information and to contact us.
Mary Radonic
Erickson