IROQUOIS – Only a few days remain before the registration deadline for the 2023 South Dundas Soccer season.
Registration for the 10-week summer season opened January 1 and will close April 15. This year, youth soccer players born between 2005 and 2019 can be registered. All six leagues – U5, U7, U9, U11, U14, and U18 – cost $45 per player until April 15. The summer soccer leagues begin play May 20.
“We need that one month window to get teams rostered, assign coaches, and prepare the fields for the season,” said Phil Blancher, South Dundas Soccer president.
Late-registration for players will open April 16 and run until May 15. Players who are registered late will be placed on a wait-list and rostered after the team rosters are built. Being late however comes at a cost. The registration fee increases from $45 to $75 after April 15.
“Registering on time is really important, as we plan our extra activities based on the number of players registered by the deadline,” Blancher explained. This year, the club is planning a number of extra clinics, which are only open to players who signed up with the SDSA this season. Those clinics include a goalkeeper clinic to develop more players in this critical player role, and a defensive-play clinic focusing on the role of defenders.
“We want to have as many opportunities for our players to grow within the game,” he added.
Unlike many other soccer programs in the region, there are no residency restrictions to play soccer in the SDSA’s programs.
“We have players from South Stormont, Cardinal, Prescott, North Grenville and elsewhere,” Blancher said. “That is the nice thing with our Summer league running Saturdays. Some players play in one league during the week, and in our league on Saturdays. Who doesn’t want more soccer?”
One area that struggles with registration numbers is the U18 league. As more teenagers are working weekend and summer jobs, finding time for soccer is a challenge.
“A few years ago we committed to ensuring that a U18 program runs by anchoring the game times to our earliest playing time,” Blancher explained. U18 games run from 8-9:15 a.m. “This way, players can still play in the sport, and get to work after.”
The club is still working with other area clubs on a travelling soccer league for this summer. Teams for South Dundas will be formed drawing players out of the Saturday program.
Anyone interested in registering to play, or to volunteer, can visit the SDSA’s website at southdundassoccer.org to sign up or for more information.