YMCA youth soccer season approaching
Published 4:07 pm Thursday, March 19, 2015
Members of a YMCA of Chilton County youth soccer team chase a ball during practice March 17. The league’s season starts April 11.
Youth soccer teams already started taking to the practice field, as the YMCA of Chilton County’s soccer season is set to start on April 11.
The league features 109 athletes making up 14 teams from ages 4-16, each looking to gain soccer experience.
“We had a big turnout this year,” said Miranda Roberts, membership services coordinator at YMCA of Chilton County. “We’re very excited, and hope it’ll keep growing.”
Roberts said the league doubled in size from last season, and said a partnership with the American Youth Soccer Organization in Elmore County has only helped the league grow.
“It opens a lot of doors,” she said. “They provide background checks for the coaches and volunteers, as well as provide clinics and training. They also help us with registration and provide on-the-field insurance. That’s a huge plus.”
The seven-week, 10-game season will feature Chilton County teams traveling to—as well as hosting—teams from the Elmore County AYSO, and will predominately take place during the day on Saturdays, with a few games taking place during the week.
The teams will be broken down by age group, with younger teams having less members on the field at one time and older teams playing the regulation 11, Roberts said.
“The under-6 group is six against six, on up to the 14-year-olds, which (play) 11” she said. “We have 14 teams at the moment, and the AYSO helps with scheduling and provides a much more structured environment.”
Roberts said that registration to play had ended, but the league is still looking for volunteers.
All home games will take place at the YMCA fields, with teams getting to experience traveling to games in Wetumpka, the Elmore County AYSO home fields.
The league will wrap up its season in mid-to-late May, and Roberts said the chance to play both “home” and “away” games in a more-structured league figured to help the players later in their careers.
“We had a good system before, but now we can make it more structured for the players,” Roberts said. “Our main goal is to provide structure for the kids. It does a lot for their confidence.”
For more information, contact the YMCA of Chilton County at 755-2382.
