CREMONA -- Soccer season has officially started across Central Alberta with teams practising in preparation for league play.
Teams from soccer associations in Carstairs, Cremona and Didsbury play in the Big Country Soccer Association against teams from throughout Central Alberta.
Sharon Bird, president of the Cremona Soccer Association, said registration is wrapped up and they're ready to go.
"We have about 90 kids in the club from U-3 up to U-13," said Bird. "We have one U-13, one U-11, and one U-9. From U-7 and on down we don't really have teams, it's just festival-type soccer. They practise and then we divide them up after."
The older teams (U-9 and up) play in the Big Country league with a travel schedule, she said.
"Our numbers are about the same as last year," she said. "It's not as big as it was years ago but it's holding steady."
Bird said soccer remains a fun activity and great exercise for youth.
"It's fantastic exercise," she said. "You're running the whole time. So if they have a lot of energy to burn it's the perfect score. It's a really good team sport. They have to work together."
Didsbury has also wrapped up registration and has about 200 players playing on 17 different teams, said Chris Farmarin, registrar and coach coordinator.
"We have four teams each at U-5, U-7 and U-9," said Farmarin. "We have two each in U-11 and U-13, one at U-15, as well as one at U-19. At U-11 we start to travel and play other towns."
Farmarin said that registration numbers for Didsbury soccer have remained pretty steady over the past couple of years.
"The older kids started in late April," he said. "The younger kids started last week. They do a half hour of practice and a 45-minute game. We combine practices and games."
From U-11 and up, the players generally practise once a week and play once a week in the Big Country soccer league against teams from around the area, said Farmarin.
"We go until the last week of June," he said. "There are playoffs for U-11 and up."
Farmarin said soccer, like most other youth sports, relies heavily on volunteers.
"I see all the work the coaches do," he said. "It's a labour of love for them. We really give an opportunity for young kids to run around and play and make friends and get tired out for bedtime."
Farmarin said the league, particularly at the younger levels, focuses on skill development and having fun.
"There's a lot of fun there," he said. "The kids are laughing out there. At the younger ages it's just about having fun. That's something I really love about it."
