Who cares if it is freezing outside and snow covers everything in sight? Not the over 100 boys and girls who hope to play for the Valley East Soccer Club’s Competitive Division teams!

In the front of the photo, from the left, Johnathan Hetu (10), Patrick Desmarais (8) and Cameron Desjardins (8) are all very excited about trying to win spots on the Under-11 Boys team, which the club hopes to put on the field for the first time this summer. Shown with the boys are, Beth Hetu on the left, Treasurer of the Club, and Jocelyne Kingsley-Gascon, Vice-President.

Marc Philippe, President, and Nicole Ranger-Rivest, Secretary, are the other two members of the Executive of the Competitive Division of the Valley East Soccer Club. The Competitive Division is entering its 5^th season of action this summer and is hoping to expand its operation to eight teams with the addition of the Under-11 Boys and Girls squads.

Team try-outs were held at Ecole Secondaire Horizon on January 13 and 20 in order to select the 18 or so players who will be carded with their respective squads this season. Besides the Men’s team, the club expects to have a total of four girls and three boys teams when the grass is green and the ball sours through the air for the first time in May.

“We actually have kids who play indoors all winter long,” explained Jocelyne. “Our Under-13 Girls team, which is coached by Marc Philippe, has been working out every week during the winter at Notre Dame in Hanmer.”

While it may seem premature to hold try-outs during January, the club has adopted this policy so that players who don’t have the skill level to play at the competitive level can still get a spot on a team in the house league. Registrations for the house league, which had over 1000 players last summer, begin around the middle of March.

“It’s just a great sport,” exclaimed Beth Hetu when asked why soccer has grown so much in popularity over the years. “It’s hard to point out one or two things that stand out more than the others. People just seem to like everything about soccer, from the running to the fact that is so well organized, to the fact that it can be played all year long.”

Indeed, soccer in Valley East has seen remarkable growth in the last several years. With over 100 players competing on a competitive level against teams from Sudbury, North Bay, Manitoulin Island and beyond, as well as up to 1100 at the house league level, it is safe to say that soccer plays a big part in the recreation life of many homes in our community.

For more information on any of the competitive level teams, you can contact the following people: Under-11 Boys (Marcel at 858-4368); Under-11 Girls (Monique at 969-8974); Under-12 Boys (Oliver at 897-3103); Under-13 Girls (Marc at 969-8974); Under-15 Girls (Peter at 897-1429); Under-16 Boys (Steve at 566-5432); and Under-18 Girls (Dave at 897-0467).