The Trail Minor Soccer Association is in trouble and may fold if the organizer can’t convince more people to step up to the pitch and kick in volunteer time.
Despite its good numbers, about 140 players in the mini-soccer program and 175 in the youth program, the league has only five committed helpers to fill close to 30 positions. The league desperately needs coaches, referees, directors, coordinators and those willing to sit on the executive.
“If we don’t have a roster of people who are willing to step on board of at least 12 or 15 people, Trail soccer, the youth portion of it, may be doomed,” said minor-soccer president Sid Compston. “Without the help of the parents it just doesn’t happen.”
Brian Reimer is the mini-soccer coordinator and has been running the program successfully for a number of years. The status of the youth program, consisting of about 10 U-11, U-13, U-15 and U-18 teams, is more dire.
“In fact, we have only two coaches for two age groups at the moment,” said Compston.
The league has offered incentives to get parents out in the past such as free registration for coaches’ kids but it didn’t work so well when four or five parents claimed they coached the same team. Free coaching clinics are also offered every year but few if any take advantage of it, says Compston.
The season runs from mid-April to late June and players from the house teams also play on Select teams in the Kootenay South Youth Soccer Association. However without house teams, players will not be eligible to play on Select squads.
If the league does fold, ironically Trail kids will have to join neighbouring minor soccer leagues.
“Rossland and Beaver Valley then can take on the load that apparently none of our Trail parents are willing to come in and help with.”
Compston has been involved in the minor soccer league for the past 13 years, in almost every capacity including chief lines painter of the fields.
“The hard part right now and, after doing it for 13 years, we’re at the point where you know what, we need to do this right . . . I just want to make youth soccer happen in the area, that’s the only reason I’ve been doing it for so long.”
The kids are there, all the league needs is a few parents.
To volunteer email sidcompston@amec.com.