Contributed – SDUFC
IROQUOIS — South Dundas United has opened registration for its 2026–27 soccer seasons, including youth and adult programs.
The club, entering its 31st year of operation, is registering players for four soccer programs: summer youth, summer adult, fall youth and winter youth. Registration for any of the programs remains $50 per player per season.
“We have really generous support from the community and our sponsors that helps keep registration fees affordable for everyone,” said club president Phil Blancher.
SDUFC’s summer youth season begins May 16 and continues through the club’s World Cup tournament on July 25. Registration is open to players born between 2008 and 2022. SDUFC organizes its leagues into two-year age groups until U14, then larger groups for older players. Each week, players train for approximately 45 minutes on Saturdays, developing soccer skills, then spend the remainder of the time playing a game to put those skills into action. Planned leagues for the summer 2026 season include U5, U7, U9, U11, U13, U15 and U18.
Soccer programming through SDUFC has no residency restrictions, so players from anywhere may join, even if they are registered with another club or have never played before.
“Everyone is welcome,” Blancher said. “They don’t have to live in South Dundas to come here to play. We have players from as far away as Brockville, Cornwall, Kemptville and North Dundas.”
The club, founded in 1996, is coming off a banner year. In 2025, SDUFC completed a $33,000, three-year fundraising effort to replace the full-sized soccer goals on the municipal fields in Iroquois. Thanks to a partnership with Valecraft Homes and Seaway District High School’s construction technology department that began in fall 2025, the club will take delivery of a soccer storage shed at the municipal fields this spring.
With those equipment needs addressed, the club is now fundraising approximately $6,000 to replace all of its portable soccer goals for the Tim Hortons TimBITS soccer leagues, U9 and younger.
“Our goal — pun intended — is to raise the money and purchase the goals before kickoff for our summer season in May,” he added.
Registration numbers for SDUFC programs have increased in recent years. Nearly 450 youth players participated last summer, an increase of more than five per cent from the previous year. Adult soccer programming grew to 61 players, up 48 per cent, while fall and winter programs rose four per cent and 11 per cent, respectively. SDUFC’s 2025–26 winter futsal leagues are running until early March. In the 2025 calendar year, the club had a soccer program or league operating for 35 of 52 weeks.
Blancher said a number of factors have contributed to the recent growth in local soccer participation.
“Canada’s national teams have done well in recent years, and professional clubs like Ottawa have caught people’s attention,” he said. “That, along with Canada co-hosting the World Cup this year, has more people interested in the sport. The price point is good, too. Where else can you play 11–12 weeks of any sport for $50 per player per season?”
One challenge the club faces heading into the new season in April is volunteer recruitment, particularly for coaches. Blancher said some coaches have recently taken on two or even three teams in a season due to a lack of volunteers. To address the issue, the club has already begun recruitment for 2026 and is offering introductory training for new coaches in April.
SDUFC’s summer youth season runs until July 25; however, the club will also offer adult summer soccer from May 28 to Aug. 13, fall youth soccer from Sept. 5 to Oct. 24, and winter futsal from Nov. 18 to Feb. 24, 2027.
Registration for the youth and adult summer seasons is open on the club’s website at southdundasunited.ca/2026-registrations.
The registration deadline for summer programs is April 12. A late fee of $35 per player will be added to all registrations received after the deadline.
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