43
Canfield Soccer Club prepares for rec season
By ABBY SLANKER
The Canfield Soccer Club Recreational League is gearing up for its 2010 season and held its annual coach and volunteer meeting May 22 at Canfield High School.
Coaches, assistant coaches and team parents gathered in the cafeteria to receive information and guidance from the club’s leaders.
Brian Governor, vice president of the Canfield Soccer Club Recreational League, led the meeting. Steve Kristan gave a review of the rules of the game; Mark Scheel, immediate past president, gave a review of the soccer academy for U5 and U6 players and Jeff Joseph, president, gave an overview of Sportslogic and how the club communicates with coaches and players.
Team rosters were distributed and a question-and-answer session was offered. Phil Simone, head coach of the Canfield High School boys and girls soccer teams, gave coaching and training tips. Attendees were also given information on risk management.
The recreational league has approximately 500 players on 46 teams. The season runs from June 28 to Aug. 8 and games are played at the Canfield Fairgrounds. The club is hoping new fields will be ready next year.
A one-day player clinic will be held for all age groups that is put on by the Canfield High School soccer teams. An optional week-long soccer camp is also offered by Simone and high school players.
The club’s new computer system, Sportslogic, will allow the club to better communicate with coaches, players and parents by e-mail and text messages. For example, when there is a game cancellation, coaches, players and parents will receive immediate electronic notification instead of waiting for a phone call to find out if a game has been canceled.
The league’s academy for the U5 and U6 teams was started three years ago and is a unique program. The young players on these teams are taught the basics of the game so they can learn more about how the game is played.
According to Governor, the Canfield Soccer Club was started in 1978 and has grown with the times.
“Our club has improved over the years, as shown by the implementation of Sportslogic and the academy for the U5 and U6 players,” Governor said. “We have great people at the helm and we have great coaches.
“It all starts at the Recreational League for our players. It is ground zero for the kids. It is their starting point. The Recreational League feeds the Competitive League and the Competitive League feeds the high school teams.”
Canfield is only one of two communities that offers summer recreational leagues. The league is open to players in surrounding communities. Ninety-five percent of the players in the league are from Canfield.