Boundary soccer league gearing up for spring season -- calling for coaches
By Shara JJ Cooper
The Boundary Youth Soccer Association (BYSA) is getting ready for their coming soccer season, but they could use more help from the community.
Each year, for the past four years, the BYSA has had at least 300 kids enrolled in their league. And each year it has grown a little more. This year, they already have at least 60 children registered in their “Kicks for Kids” program, which is a free entry-level program for toddler-aged kids.
With so many registrants, it’s important that the association has more coaches in their line-up to make sure the children get the most out of their experience.
“The smaller the teams are, the more chances there are for kids to play,” explained Vince Evers, vice president of the BSYA and volunteer coordinator.
He went on to explain that the more coaches they have, the more teams they can have and the smaller the teams will be. That means kids get out on the playing field more often.
Evers said that the league isn’t going to fold if they don’t get more coaches, but they do really need more help.
“Volunteers are the most valuable thing in our association,” he said.
The commitment to be a coach isn’t huge, and Evers said it’s actually better when coaches don’t have any experience.
“They learn everything they need to know at the clinics,” he said. While everyone is welcome, coaching has changed over the years. Now there is more of a focus on playing the game, having fun and learning skills like team building.
Currently, the group needs coaches in Rock Creek for U7 (under seven), a co-coach for U9 and a U13 coach.
In Grand Forks they need four coaches for U7 and coaches for Kicks for Kids.
The coaching clinic is free and held in Grand Forks. There is not a huge time commitment — about 20 hours for the whole spring season. The coaches and teams meet for one practice a week and one hour for either a game or tournament. The season is 10 weeks long with nine regular games and one tournament.
Kicks for Kids has an even smaller time commitment of about one hour a week.
While the games are held all over the Boundary region, they try to group them in clusters so there isn’t as much travelling. Even the criminal record check has been simplified this year because it is free and can be done online.
Those that want to volunteer without making a commitment to the whole season can help out on a per game basis. According to Evers, they particularly need help during tournaments for things like working concession stands.
Anyone wanting to take on a paying role can ask about becoming a referee, although the association gives priority to former BYSA players like older high school students. That is the only paid position within the association.
BYSA history
This is the BYSA’s fourth year, but there has been a drop-in program in the Boundary since 1979. They used to play on the weekends.
Since the organization formed, the board has started to travel to other regions. Last year they competed against Rossland, which Evers called “eye opening” because of the skill levels in leagues that have been around longer.
This year they are planning on having tournaments with the older kids against more of the West Kootenay communities.
The group’s main season is the 10-week spring session but they also hold a summer season that mostly consists of soccer camps. In the past they have previously held a fall season, but they are in discussions about whether they will keep it.
Evers said that there is less commitment to soccer as other sports and school gets underway, but that there is a “good core group of people that still want to play (in the fall).”
Adults
Grown-ups that want to play don’t have to sit on the sidelines and watch their kids. There is still an adult drop-in program that meets twice a week. The youngest participant can be 13-years-old and there is no age cap. The oldest player so far has been 62, but Evers said anyone that wants to play is welcome. The drop-in program is free.
For more information about th BYSA check out their website.
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