The Sunshine Coast Youth Soccer Association (SCYSA) kicked off its 2014/15 season just over a month ago with more than 700 players enjoying “the beautiful game.”
SCYSA technical director Ken Campbell said the association has worked hard to ensure everyone who wants to play can.
“We have five rep teams, U11, U13, U15 and U16 boys and one girls team, U11 and our house teams in the neighbourhood of 40 teams, from U11 to U18,” Campbell said. “The numbers are down a bit, mostly due to demographics. I think all the sports are down a bit on the Coast.”
One of the highlights so far at the house league level is the U18 division going co-ed for the first time.
“Having boys and girls playing on the same team is a new experiment, and so far it is working really well,” he said.
In the spring, the association held its first spring league in May and June with more than 200 kids from U11 to U18 taking part.
Also, now in its third year, is the SCYSA academy, responsible for additional off-season and in-season training. That academy has helped produced seven players (five boys and two girls) who are all playing Metro or Premier league soccer in the Lower Mainland.
“We don’t offer Metro level play here on the Coast, so these kids have a chance to continue their soccer careers off-Coast. It’s a great opportunity for them. It’s exciting to see. This is pretty good soccer. It takes a big commitment to play in that level of soccer, and when you factor in commuting, that makes it an even bigger commitment.
“This is the most we have ever had, and the hope is that one day it would be great to see one of them maybe in Major League Soccer.”
The academy has also acquired the services of U20 Women’s National goalie coach Michael Norris, who works with the Coquitlam Metro Ford team and who runs a pro academy in Vancouver.
Norris is coming to the Coast twice a month to work with the rep goalies and a few house goalies — 16 in total.
“It’s been excellent. The players are happy, coaches are coming out to watch and look at training for the future, which is great all the way around,” Campbell said. “The academy itself is really working well and is a huge component of the overall success of the association. Our numbers are high, and more and more kids are taking advantage of the academy and then taking those skills back to their respective rep and house league teams.”
Campbell admits that it is a busy time for the board members, coaches and players, but it’s a fun time, too.
“The board members of the association work very hard to get all 700 kids on teams, and without them this would never be happening,” he said. “It’s going to be a great season for the kids.”
