Mitch Calvert
For those kids looking for a more competitive soccer environment, options are now available.
The developmental program in Emo has taken off with three teams at the under-nine, under-12, and under-14 levels.
“It’s kind of a neat thing to see happening in our area,” enthused Laurie Shortreed, one of the organizers.
“We have 250 kids in our rec league, but we’re going to be running three competitive teams this year.
“It’s just giving kids that want to play a little bit more competitive soccer the opportunity to do that this summer,” Shortreed noted.
“We’re looking at going up to Kenora July 4 or 5, and we’re also hoping to play the Fort Frances U-12 team a few times and we’re also hoping to do a tournament in Winnipeg at the end of August,” she added.
The Emo U-12 and U-14 teams hosted U-11 and U-13 teams from Kenora at the Emo Sportsfield on Saturday, and swept them in four games.
The U-12s won by scores of 1-0 and 4-1 while the U-14 team took wins by scores of 1-0 and 5-0.
“The first games were their first games ever so they were getting their feet wet, but it was nice to see in the second game they seemed to have a few things figured out and really worked together a lot better,” Shortreed lauded.
“We’ve been practising with our U-12s and U-14s for a couple weeks here and it’s good to get them some game action.”
Shortreed said the need is there for further soccer development in the region, adding this program should help fill that void.
“I find between high school and rec soccer there’s just a huge jump, and this should definitely help close that gap,” she stressed.
“It might make us a little more competitive when we get a chance to go to OFSAA at the high school level.”
Shortreed also said squaring off against teams you don’t often get to play is good for the kids, as well.
“You play your rec soccer and have your little competition there, but to play somebody you’ve never played before is always exciting and shows how you really stack up,” she explained.
The program has been practising each Sunday afternoon, with that once-a-week session set to change to Tuesdays once school is out.
They are aiming to enter the Tournament of Aces in Winnipeg at the end of August as their big wind-up competition.
“We’ll have to see how committed the kids are over the summer, but having that tournament as a goal to aim for should help,” Shortreed remarked.
Meanwhile, Fort Frances’ U-12 program graduated two players, Tyler Ruppenstein and Celia Berry, to the Region 7 select team last summer but has struggled to field a full line-up of players during their Monday evening practice sessions this spring.
“We have about seven boys and seven girls,” said co-organizer Sarah Noonan. “I’d like to have 10 or more of each.
“I’m trying to get a full squad by [this] week.”
The program here practises Tuesday and Thursday mornings during the summer, and will go to the district identification tournament in Dryden on Aug. 14-16.
The registration fee, including insurance, jerseys, and equipment, is $150.
