Strathmore Minor Soccer Federation gearing up for outdoor season

Times Contributor

 

With spring now here, despite the cooler temperatures, the Strathmore Minor Soccer Federation is getting ready to start its outdoor season.

The SMFA hopes that the season will start during the first week of May, weather permitting. 

Registration numbers are up from last year, and the hope is that there will be boys and girls teams at the U10, U12, and U14 levels, with a girls team at the U16 level. The U10 and older teams will play in leagues run by the Calgary Minor Soccer Association, while the younger teams will play in a house league.

SMFA President Mark Shorhen is looking forward to the upcoming season. 

“(I would like to see) the older age groups win some (CMSA league) championships, and make it to provincials,” he said. “We are also (still) building new (soccer) fields behind the Wal-Mart.

“Hopefully, we’ll have the grand opening in mid-May. Once they are open, we would like to use them as much as possible.”

Shorhen also mentioned that there will not be too many things done differently this year compared to last year. Instead, he is looking forward to improving on what has already been done.

“We are slowly improving our registrations,” he said. “We are also starting to have more coach training, and are moving forward with bringing the sport to the kids. We would like to give players more aspects of the sport, and we are doing this by having more practices.”

Shorhen said that, weather permitting, there will also be training sessions and practices for teams that will be scheduled in April to help prepare for the season.

However, Shorhen does hope that the kids that participate in the outdoor season have fun while also learning some things along the way.  

“I hope that the kids use this as something to release their energy and get exercise,” he said. “Also, I hope that they learn about teamwork (and working with others), and learn about sportsmanship.”