Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 25, 1995 TAG: 9505250046
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KIMBERLY D. DAVIS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
With last summer's World Cup and the new semipro Roanoke RiverDawgs, more parents are signing up their kids on recreation soccer teams.
In recreation soccer, teams are classified by age and have policies that guarantee playing time.
Salem, which has three age groups, ranging from 7 to 13, has 41 teams in its spring recreation division, making the size of the soccer league comparable to other spring sports such as teeball and baseball.
"Our [soccer] leagues have gone up probably 10 percent in the past two years," said Dan Jones, assistant youth sports supervisor for the city of Salem.
"It's a game, that, for younger children, it doesn't really require real skill. It teaches real good hand-eye coordination, and there's not as much pressure as making a free throw [in basketball]," he said, adding all children get to be on the field at the same time. "The individual aspects are not stressed as much."
Last year, Roanoke County organized 159 teams for its fall recreation soccer league. Players are aged 6-17, and each area of the county had different teams. The 8 and under league had 54 teams and the 9-17 league had 105 teams.
About 2,400 children play on Roanoke County recreation teams, and that number has increased steadily since it "started with a bang" about nine years ago, said recreation supervisor Bob Guthrie.
Guthrie attributes that growth to the coaches and to rules allowing all kids to play, he said. "People who are coaching it are knowing more about it," he said. "Also, a lot of the areas have a three-quarter rule, where kids have to play for at least three quarters. Roanoke County has a one-half rule, and that's really good," Guthrie said. "Kids love that."
In Botetourt County, 607 kids on 41 teams participated in the fall soccer recreation program. The players are aged 5-18 and, until this year, teams were co-ed.
Fall soccer fares well against football and has had a "steady increase since day one" about nine years ago, said Ken Myers, recreation director.
"There was a population explosion in that age group," Myers said. "It opens it up to more children."
Botetourt soccer players have to play at least one half, provided they attend practice and are not being disciplined, which is a "good benefit," Myers said.
Roanoke had 75 teams during the fall season and 40 for the indoor season, said Ruth Wilkinson, supervisor of athletics. About 2,000 kids participate in the soccer programs.
The soccer league has run "pretty steadily," Wilkinson said, especially since a girls' league started a few years ago.
Despite the success of the fall programs, very few recreation teams play in the spring.
There is an interest, but a shortage of fields and money, as well as conflicts with other sports, is hampering organizing efforts.
Roanoke did have spring soccer, but it conflicted with baseball.
"We've found that a lot of kids that play soccer also play baseball," Wilkinson said. "There was no way we could work the schedule where there was no conflict with baseball."
"[The players] want to have it fall and spring," Myers said. "We've got 106 baseball teams, and there are not enough facilities for baseball and soccer."
As for Roanoke County, the problem is simpler.
"Our budget doesn't allow it just yet," Guthrie said.
by CNB