Photo Credit: Dreamstime.com

By Shane Clausing

Grande Prairie Soccer Association

GPSA launches Soccer Streets program to get kids back in the game

Jul 26, 2020 | 7:00 AM

The Grande Prairie Soccer Association is launching it’s Soccer Streets program this August, with the hope of getting kids back into the game after an extended time away.

The Soccer Streets program is giving boys and girls aged 9-17 a chance to participate in what essentially is a mini-tournament.

Grande Prairie minor soccer will group boys and girls by their age groups and then split them into random teams regardless of their skill levels.

The boys and girls will then play eight games in two separate four-day stretches.

The first set of games will take place from August 13-16 and the second set will take place from August 20-23.

Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

Claude Bolton, the Technical Director of the Grande Prairie Soccer Association, says he really wants the kids to enjoy the game.

“Soccer Streets is a way to instill some passion and give an opportunity to get kids back out on the field, since they’re retuning from all the COVID safety protocols. At the same time, it’s underscoring our new philosophy, or a philosophy, that most sports try to create, that passion for sports.”

“So, it’s not so much about the coaching, it’s not so much about worrying about learning, the game can teach itself. It’s small sided games and it’ll allow for players to naturally and instinctively focus on different aspects of the game.”

The Grande Prairie Soccer Association has been approved by the Canadian Soccer Association, Alberta Soccer Association and Alberta Health Services in order to play and operate their program.

Some rules include having players stay at a distance once coming off of the field have been implemented and keeping coaches in a “mini coach’s circle”, so they can watch from a distance as all players are restricted to their own cohort.

“You can only have a cohort of a maximum of 50 people. Which (kind of) fits with our model because we are focusing on gameplay more than we are on coaching instruction, but its strange, because gameplay is what we’re trying to instruct.”

At the end of the day, Bolton says he’s excited for the chance to see the kids out and playing once again.

Meantime, Bolton says registrations have already been successful for the program. Initially they set a goal of having 50 players register in the month of July, however they exceeded that goal early and 200 players have signed up for the program. He expects more to register before the start of the event.

Those interested in signing up can do so at the Grande Prairie Soccer Association’s website.