Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
An inaugural soccer tournament focused on developing young athletes in two different age groups.

Ethan Canadien manouvers a ball around a cone during a clinic at the Mackenzie Deh Cho Youth Soccer Tournament. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

The Mackenzie Deh Cho Youth Soccer Tournament was held in Fort Simpson from Feb. 10 to 12. The event drew 53 participants from Fort Simpson and 57 from Fort Providence between the ages of five and 11.

The tournament was developed to engage youths in soccer and to get them to love the sport, said Shane Thompson, one of the event organizers.

People involved in recreation and sports have seen a decrease in participation in sports at the junior and senior high school level. By introducing students to soccer at a young age, Thompson said the goal is to get them involved in the sport and keep them playing it as they get older.

During the tournament the students were divided into teams according to their age. The teams then played games in a round robin format against the other teams in their age group.

Scores were not kept during the games.

"We're just trying to make sure they are having fun," said Thompson.

Each team also participated in at least one soccer clinic, which focused on building their skill levels.

Neilson Vandell, 11, from Fort Providence was part of team Blue Jays. By Saturday morning Vandell and his team had played two games.

"It's fun," he said.

Vandell played offence for his team. Shooting goals is his favourite part of the sport. This was the first soccer tournament he's participated in.

A goal of the tournament was to develop a base of young soccer players.

Eleven members of the Fort Simpson boys and girls soccer teams in grades 10 to 12 were put in charge of coaching teams, officiating, running the soccer clinics and helping with the meals.

Deh Gah School also brought high school students and each one, in addition to an adult, were responsible for one of the Fort Providence teams.

The tournament gave teens a chance to contribute and learn about the roles that make tournaments possible, said Thompson, who's also a sports and recreation co-ordinator with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA).

"They've always played in tournaments and now they have a chance to run one," he said.

The Wild Things

Tyler Pilling, 17, was one of the Fort Simpson teens involved in the tournament. Pilling was responsible for The Wild Things, a team of eight- to nine-year-olds.

"We've been having lots of fun and working together as a team and scoring some good goals," he said.

Pilling said win or lose it is important ensure the team has fun. It's also hard to get players and volunteers to arrive on time, he said. Pilling said he thought the tournament was turning out well.

"I think the kids are all having fun and that's what it's all about," he said.

For Jeremy Landry, 18, the tournament was a chance to take notes at the clinics and see what drills were done and if they vary from the ones in Fort Providence.

Landry was also one of the chaperones for a team called the Wolves.

"It's hard to keep track of them all," he said, about the players.

The tournament, which MACA, the Mackenzie Recreation Association, Thomas Simpson School, Deh Gah School and Bompas Elementary School partnered in, was a pilot project, said Thompson.

If more communities participate there could be as many as 200 participants next year, he said.

In addition to the soccer tournament, there are also discussions about having similar events for basketball or volleyball, beginning within the next two years, said Thompson.

It may be possible to have an event every other month to introduce a different sport and engage youths, he said.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.