Photo credit: The Canadian Press

By Curtis Galbraith

Soccer

Swan City FC official expecting “ripple effect” from soccer gold

Aug 15, 2021 | 7:00 AM

A Swan City FC official thinks Canada’s gold medal win in women’s soccer at the Tokyo Olympics will have a ripple effect on the game.

Technical director Claude Bolton says that impacts should last for years.

“It shows the leadership role that women can have, both to boys and girls, in a club like ours. It shows that both males and females can be heroes to youth,” Bolton said.

“At the same time, it pushes the female game in this country further, gives us some more legs (for) those of us who believe that there should be a semi-pro or pro women’s league flourish.”

Bolton says the win also gives young players a chance to “dream a little bit” and to make their dreams goals.

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He also thinks more people will want to play soccer now, adding he has already seen some signs soccer was growing in the area before the big win.

He says when Swan City FC ran some free recreational soccer programs in May, they were hoping for 100–350 kids would take part.

Instead, there were 1,200.

“The interest is there. It’s now to decide how do we deliver those programs, what is it that they want. I think most of it is, we focus on just a passion for playing, almost like a streetball style, so we’ll see,” said Bolton.

“There’s definitely more interest, and I’ve only been here a year-and-a-half, so there’s more interest than I knew there would be.”

Bolton says many parents whose kids were in the free program said thanks and talked about how it was good to have their kids out playing.

He is also hoping kids seeing mom and dad cheer for Team Canada will lead children to having and keeping an active lifestyle.

Bolton also calls the victory a proud moment as a Canadian, soccer enthusiast, and for someone who works at the grassroots level.