Wednesday, 21 November 2012

Soccer still growing everywhere

Many communities dealing with expansive growth in sport's popularity

Before the completion of the Cowan Park facility in Woodstock, our community was in a supply-and-demand deficit when there was a count of minor soccer pitches versus the numbers playing.
Minor soccer had grown so quickly and so large there were simply not enough (quality) fields to play on. The growth in the Woodstock Soccer Club (WSC) was terrific for physical fitness of all ages and participation in the 'great game', but it presented a problem to the City of Woodstock parks and recreation department and the WSC.
Cowan Park is now the envy of minor soccer groups everywhere.
In Kitchener, the difficulty is the city needs to phase out pitches in Budd Park, and now they lack the number of required playing fields.
Here's a story from the Waterloo Region Record:

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Kitchener council promises more soccer fields

Terry Pender, Record staff
  • Mon Nov 19 2012
  • KITCHENER — City councillors unanimously supported a call Monday to ensure every child who wants to play soccer will not be denied because of a lack of fields.
    City councillors did so with no supporting analysis of future costs and other background studies.
    Coun. Berry Vrbanovic introduced the motion and it was seconded by Coun. Bil Ioannidis.
    Vrbanovic described the move as a statement of support that reassures Kitchener Minor Soccer that the city will move to accommodate the growing popularity of the sport in this city — up from 3,000 players in 2002 to 5,600 this year.
    “The soccer club has done a great job,” Vrbanovic said.
    Added Ioannidis: “A council that cares about its youth supports its youth.”
    By 2014, minor soccer expects to have 7,000 registered players. By 2017, that figure is expected to hit 10,000.
    The move directs city staff to work with minor soccer officials to plan for new soccer fields, and consider how the city and club should handle the loss of some pitches at Budd Park in 2014.
    Vrbanovic wants city staff to have detailed information ready in time for the 2014 budget talks.
    Coun. Kelly Galloway-Sealock said she wholeheartedly supports the recommendation, but was the only member of city council to openly acknowledge there will be costs associated with it.
    “There are going to be capital costs down the road,” Galloway-Sealock said. “While this is a great concept, this could come with significant costs.”
    Coun. Daniel Glenn-Graham said the idea should be applied to all city-supported minor sports.
    “We should hold this as a high principle for all sport,” Glenn-Graham said.
    About a decade ago, the city took the same position with Kitchener Minor Hockey and adopted the “Every Kid Plays” policy.
    That policy led to the city building a new twin-pad arena and a buying an existing twin-pad from the private sector.
    But nobody was letting future costs get in the way of their support for the beautiful game on Monday night.
    Coun. Frank Etherington said he loves seeing young people from other countries playing soccer in Victoria Park before they have mastered the English language.
    “The only language they share is soccer, and that is fabulous to watch,” Etherington said.
    The motion that was passed says, in part, that city staff will work with the minor soccer club to review facility schedules beginning in 2014, “and adjust them to ensure that every child who wants to play soccer, can.”
    Vrbanovic stressed he is giving minor soccer the same kind of support minor hockey received a decade ago.
    “Youth hockey, youth participation in sports, are good for our community, and that is a principle we are striving for,” Vrbanovic said.

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