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House league soccer for boys and girls over age 12 in 麻豆社国产is about to become a thing of the past.
The 麻豆社国产Youth Soccer Association (SYSA) recently announced sweeping changes to the program, including the end of all house league play for U13 and above. Instead, single 鈥渢ravel鈥� teams will play in the 4 District league bronze division for each of the U13 to U18 boys levels, while single girls teams will be created in two-year increments at U14, U16 and U18 and play in the B.C. Coastal Girls Soccer League鈥檚 Division 3.
SYSA also plans to field 鈥渟elect鈥� teams, formerly called travel teams, in the higher divisions of the 4 District (boys) and BCCGSL leagues, respectively.
SYSA president Tim Sjogren said the decision on house league was made based on feedback the board received and that the existing house league system isn鈥檛 the best for teen and pre-teen players.
鈥淚 know for the girls, we have one league above U12, so you have 12-year-olds playing with 17-year-olds and that鈥檚 not so great,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n the U14, U16 and U18 boys divisions, there鈥檚 maybe two or three teams but again, the competition isn鈥檛 great. You play the same teams over and over again.鈥�
Sjogren said the move hasn鈥檛 been finalized and that he wants to make the best decision for the kids and the SYSA after hearing from as many people as possible.
For local parent Laura Modray, the elimination of house league soccer would be a big blow to her family and the community as a whole.听
鈥淭his decision is very frustrating for me because all my kids want to do is play soccer on Saturday in Squamish,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 want to have a bigger experience听 鈥� they just want to get out there and kick the ball and I think there鈥檚 a whole whack of kids out there like them. They don鈥檛 want to be challenged, they just want to get out and play.鈥�
Modray said she and her husband have volunteered with the SYSA and took on roles as head coaches and team manager for their two children鈥檚 house league teams. She said no house league soccer for older children could create travel nightmares for families with more than one child.
鈥淲hat if I have to be in Richmond with one child and my other child has a game out here?鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 be in two places at once and I think single parents are really concerned too.鈥�
She said Saturdays in 麻豆社国产at the soccer field are a big tradition and having no house league teams will diminish that special day.听
鈥淵ou head to the field with both of your kids on a Saturday and you can mingle around to the different fields and see all the families together 鈥� it鈥檚 really wonderful,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith no house teams, everything will be split up and it鈥檚 no longer a super soccer Saturday in Squamish. It鈥檚 such a bad thing for the kids and families to not have a house league.鈥�
Sjogren said a survey he sent out to parents found that close to 40 per cent of families wanting to do away with older house teams. A number of respondents wanted to do some sort of combination, while few stated that the SYSA should do the same as it did last season. There were about 230 players on travel teams last season, with about the same number playing on house teams at U12 and above. He said he鈥檚 open to discuss what is best moving forward.
鈥淢y feeling right now is that we may revisit what we decided to do,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e won鈥檛 go back to what we did before, but it might be a combo and we could offer some other options.鈥�
He said one possibility could be older training groups, with coaches splitting up the players to ensure all teams are equal. Sjogren pointed out that last season saw some teams dominate the house leagues, something he said benefits no one.
Modray said she might have another option for the SYSA.
鈥淭he big joke I鈥檓 having with a lot of my friends on Facebook is I鈥檓 going to organize听 the field myself and start my own house league,鈥� she said, laughing. 鈥淓verybody show up on Saturday at 10 a.m. 鈥� I鈥檒l buy the pinnies.鈥�
She insisted that keeping house teams is a good thing for all involved, adding that giving teens and pre-teens the chance to exercise regularly is a positive thing.
鈥淲hy can鈥檛 we leave it the way it is?鈥� she said. 鈥淭he house league should be here 鈥� end of story. It鈥檚 important to offer something that鈥檚 affordable for these kids to stay in shape. We鈥檙e now putting up a barrier for these kids to exercise. It should be more accessible, not less accessible.鈥�
Sjogren said the final decision will be made shortly after the SYSA鈥檚 annual general meeting on May 12. He will continue to accept feedback on the decision, which can be sent to [email protected].
For more information on the SYSA, visit www.squamishsoccer.ca.
