Looking to 2009 -- Graham Sanders

We have had our AGM, elected new executive members, and are busily planning for the 2009 season.  As I enter my fourth year as club president, I am keen to see us evolve into more of a soccer club rather than just a recreational facility for the kids.  To this end, I have been encouraging more of our volunteers to take Ontario Soccer Association (OSA) coaching courses to join the three of us who currently have differing OSA credentials.

Besides a shortage of volunteers, we struggle with limited playing and practice facilities at Fowlds Park.  Much as we want to help the sport grow, we are restricted by the fact that we have only a tiny field for U6 players, a mini-field for U8 and U10 teams, and one full-size field used by our U12, U14, U16, and U18 teams.  Scheduling games and practice times for our ten teams this past summer was very difficult.

In discussions with coaches, managers, and parents this year, I have been encouraged to introduce some new ideas for 2009.  While we shall attempt to accommodate all of the children that want to play mini soccer (U10 and younger age groups), it may be necessary to restrict the size of our teams that play on the full-size field (U12 and up).  In the past, we have carried squads of 18, 20, and sometimes a few more on teams that can only field 11 players on the field at one time.  Teams of this size are unmanageable, and for next year, we are going to limit them to 16 players.  This may necessitate the need for tryouts in some of the youth age groups.

Several coaches have told me that their practices were poorly attended this last season - a circumstance I experienced myself with the U14 team.  Going forward, coaches will be entitled to "sit" players that don't come to practice (i.e. a player skips practice for no valid reason - school event, doctor, or dentist appointment, etc.) so that they don't get to play in the following game.  Persistent absence from practice may result in player(s) being dropped from the roster.  Parents who are not committed to having their daughters or sons fully participate as a team member should consider not registering their child this year.

For 2009, registration fees have had to increase.  In addition to increased costs and higher remittances to soccer's governing bodies in Ontario and Canada, we have also decided to purchase new uniforms each year and to give them to the children at season's end.  The club's equipment manager's job has been a nightmare in trying to get all of the uniforms back in good order at the end of each season.  While more expensive, the only solution is to get new uniforms each year.

For 2009, registration for U10 and younger age groups will be $80 while registration for U12 and older will be $100 for the season.  The split in fees this year reflects the higher OSA remittances and much more expensive game officials' fees for the older age groups.  We shall again offer a U6 skills development program with a registration fee set at $40 for the season which will include a club t-shirt.

Two registration sessions will be held at the Hastings Civic Centre on Friday, January 23 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Saturday, January 24 - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  A third and final registration will be held upstairs at the Hastings Legion on Monday, February 9 - 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  The deadline for registration will be February 15.  If room is available, we will continue to accept registrations after that date but they will be at $125 per player, whatever the age group or program.

The HSC board and I look forward to an exciting 2009 on the soccer field.  If you have any questions about this letter or other HSC matters, please get in touch.


Sincerely,



Graham Sanders
HSC President
705-696-1451


January 13, 2008