SUNDRE – Soccer is about to get more competitive in town.
Previously playing in an informal in-house league, the Sundre Soccer Club has decided to join up with the Big Country Soccer Association for the upcoming season.
“Last year, our goal as a board of directors was to just get the club up and running,” said Janelle Mikal, president, adding the organization had until the 2023 season gone into a bit of a hiatus.
Following on their successful effort to revitalize the club and perhaps even build up more momentum going forward, the board decided to play in the Big Country Soccer Association’s competitive league this year, she said.
“I’m just really excited about having the return of soccer in Sundre again and that this year we’re moving forward and joining the Big Country Soccer Association and we’ll see soccer becoming more competitive in Sundre,” she said.
“Providing competitive opportunities for children to play sport, I feel that’s going to better their sport development.”
That means the club’s teams from the U11s and up will be playing against teams from Three Hills and Cremona to Olds and Didsbury, she said.
“That was always my goal,” she said about getting the kids an opportunity to play more competitively.
“Because we do have this awesome facility, and we heard that from the (Big Country Soccer Association) representatives that were here, that we are blessed to have such a huge soccer field,” she said.
The club plays on the soccer pitches in the southeast part of town just south of the Royal Canadian Legion Sundre Branch #223 off of Highway 760 or the Bergen Road along 6th Street.
“We have those fields, the town maintains them and they offer us a really fair rate,” she said. “Even the Big Country representatives were like, ‘Wow, you guys are really lucky to have those nice outdoor facilities for a really reasonable rate.’”
The three representatives were guests at the club’s annual general meeting that was held on Wednesday, Jan. 31 at the Sundre Arena’s meeting room, she said.
“Their whole mission is to grow the sport of soccer. So, they are so supportive and excited that we’re going to be joining the competitive league this year,” she said.
“That was really awesome to have their support and their input.”
Going into the club’s AGM, Mikal had been uncertain as to whether there would be enough people interested in serving on the board.
“I was expecting a bigger turnout,” she said. “But you know, we had a few members of our community show up, and so that was exciting.”
While some board members stepped down this year, four returned to serve another term: Mikal; Leah Penner, treasurer; Lane Theilmann, equipment coordinator; and Becky McPhee, coach coordinator.
“We also secured three new members,” she said.
Alex Johnston is now the vice president while Carolyn Gleeson is serving as secretary and Aspen Muraski took on the role of registration coordinator.
“We’re excited to have a full board of directors going into the season,” said Mikal.
Beyond securing enough volunteers to serve on the board of directors, the club also needs enough volunteer parents and coaches, she said.
At this time of the year, soccer remains far on the horizon for most people and parents who might still be enraptured by the ongoing hockey season. But once the melting snow starts to usher in the spring, minds start shifting toward outdoor sports and that’s usually when needed volunteers step up, she said.
This year, the club decided to book some time at the Sundre Community Gym on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 5-8 p.m. throughout April with tentative plans to possibly put on a soccer clinic pending enough interest and registrations, she said.
“We have that in our back pocket in case we want to offer kind of a spring training camp prior to the start of the soccer season,” she said.
The regular season with the new league will run from May to the end of June. That will also present opportunities for Sundre to host visiting teams.
“As part of the league, we will be hosting games in Sundre,” she said, adding that also means the club will need to put out a call for referees.
“We don’t have any reffing officials, and it’s going to be our responsibility now to secure those refs for our home games,” she said, adding the association will host some referee clinics for anyone who might be interested.
“And you’ll be paid to be a ref official at games,” she said.
“But we need people in Sundre that are willing to step up.”
Anybody who would like more information about the club and how to register is encouraged to check out the group’s social media page, which can easily be found by doing an online search for Sundre Soccer Club.
And if anyone wants more details about becoming a coach or even interested in doing referee clinic, they can send their questions to [email protected].
“Let us know that you’re interested and we’ll put you on the list for more information,” she said, adding the program’s success in large part hinges on the community’s support.
