Meadow Lake and District Youth Soccer Association (Submitted photo/Meadow Lake & District Youth Soccer Association)

By Elliott Knopp

Soccer Registrations

Meadow Lake and District Youth Soccer Association seeking coaches ahead of 2021 kickoff

Mar 30, 2021 | 3:43 PM

As the March 31 deadline to register for soccer approaches, the Meadow Lake and District Youth Soccer Association (MLDYSA) is looking to lock up some additional support ahead of the new season.

The MLDYSA has prepared a minimalistic season so that, in the event of another wave of COVID-19 infections, the provincial government implementing another shut down would not completely cancel the season. Registration has been limited and cohorts will be formed in age groups so coaching is easier and more organized.

Raelynn Gilroyed, President of the MLDYSA, stated the association also made changes to the age groups with three new ranges. The youngest group includes children between the ages of 7-9, the middle group is for pre-teens is between 10-13 and the teenage group is between 14-17. Numbers for registrations could expand if coaching requirements are met. Fees and schedules vary from each age range as the new MLDYSA format will see each age group receive different training.

Gilroyed believes the alterations will offer kids a more enjoyable and educational experience than they may have received in previous years.

“This year will be a very professional, enjoyable year for the kids” Gilroyed said. “I know previous years have been chaotic. This year, we’ve organized the association so it flows better with the parent’s schedules, kid’s schedules and is more enjoyable. They will take home good, proper experience and training.”

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Gilroyed stressed the MLDYSA is currently looking for coaches to assist with the younger age groups and lighten the load of the current coaches. In order to effectively run the program, the MLDYSA requires 12 coaches to oversee practices and activities. Currently, seven more coaches are needed to balance the work.

“We are dealing with training coaches. That is a required commitment from individuals in our community who are required to do extensive training with age groups from 4-18,” Gilroyed stated. “In previous years, we’d run a basic type of community soccer where there weren’t many requirements from the Saskatchewan Soccer Association (SSA). As I took over last year, I started to do some groundwork and started to realize that a lot of things need to happen on our end to make soccer flow better and function in our community.”

People interested in coaching some of the youth soccer program will need to complete a criminal record check, Respect in Sport program and SSA training in their age category. SSA training consists of 8-16 hours of online reading and two hours of on-field training to be completed in Saskatoon.

Gilroyed added if the provincial government relaxes public health guidelines and the MLDYSA is able to fill their coaching vacancies, the association would want to host a spring event that would showcase the organization and demonstrate to children and parents what activities would entail.

“If the government opens up more things, they could possibly see a jamboree in the fall. It is a one-day event that we would host with the SSA. They would bring people down from Saskatoon, and it’s like an introduction to soccer. It would be open to anyone in the community to see how SSA and Meadow Lake soccer have united.”

She mentioned bringing in some older players from teams to host a class for the children and teach them how to perform advanced soccer moves and tricks, but like the jamboree, the event will remain on hold until the organization has secured its coaching requirements.

“We need coaches is what it comes down to. Until we can get that, those will have to sit on the back burner.”

Soccer registration closes on March 31. Any young athletes who register late or can’t fit under the new age capacities will be added to a waitlist in the event a spot opens up. Anyone looking to register or make in inquiry can contact Gilroyed at (306) 240-4064 or Jinny Nieviadomy at (306) 240-9311.

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Elliott.Knopp@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @ElliottKnopp