The outdoor soccer season is just weeks away from beginning in the Battlefords. (Submitted photo/Kat Huxley)

By Martin Martinson

Community athletics

Battlefords youth soccer programs see growth in registration

Apr 12, 2022 | 2:00 PM

With the spring season just around the corner, the local youth soccer programs are primed for a big year.

Registration numbers are up for both the recreational and the club leagues with 425 youth registered in the Battlefords Youth Soccer Association and another 104 signed up already for the Battlefords United FC (BUFC) program.

Head coach and competitive coordinator with BUFC, Kat Huxley said while the program has generally featured five to six teams from the U9 to U19 ages — including just a single all-female squad — this year they will have three U9 teams, three U11 teams, two U13 teams and one U15/17 team, including an all-female team at each of the U9, U11, and U13 levels.

“It’s huge and it’s extremely exciting,” Huxley said of the continued growth in participation. “I think this shows our program is inviting and welcoming, and new athletes are wanting to come into the program to work on their skills and be in a bit more of a competitive environment.”

The BUFC season will begin the last week of April, with special guest speakers on-hand, including former professional hockey player turned motivational speaker, Carlin Nordstrom and semi-pro futsal coach, Jaime Meza to run specialized clinics for the youth the opening week.

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In the following month, the program will also have their first-ever female-led Female Athletes Day Camp this year, in addition to program-wide sessions with a coach from Newen Sports, a soccer agency/academy assisting players with opportunities to play soccer at university or professional levels.

The recreational soccer season will begin the week of May 2, and run to late-June.

Executive director of Battlefords Youth Soccer, Kelly Villeneuve said following a difficult last couple of years, it’s been nice to see the registration numbers and anticipation for the season bounce back this year to pre-pandemic levels and better in some ways.

“They’re pretty much back to pre-COVID numbers which is encouraging,” Villeneuve said. “Last year we did have a dip in numbers and the year before we didn’t have [a season] at all, so we are very happy with the way registration has gone so far, and we’re still getting about five to 10 registrations a day, so that’s very encouraging as well.”

The deadline for minor soccer registration is April 29. For more information on the youth soccer programs in the community, or to inquire about coaching, visit the Battlefords Youth Soccer website or visit the Battlefords United FC Facebook page.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1