After years of declining participation, Grapevine Southlake Soccer Association (GSSA) president Chris Burton said his organization actually experienced resurgence in 2008.
Burton said he attributes the growth to a combination of factors.
"It’s been excellent," Burton said. "For about the past three or four years before this season, we actually had a downturn. We have really been aggressive in our registration notifications, and emails; we’re sending postcards to every address in both cities, we are trying to hand out flyers in public places, and things of that nature—just anything to get the word out."
Burton said the association also offered a new feature this year.
"We partnered with MLS camps to do basically academy skills for our players," Burton said. "We had been doing kind of a home-grown academy session, and the numbers were OK, but when we started the MLS camps, we were at 120 to 125 kids registered for our academy skills, which is a big improvement over seasons past. We’ve apparently found something that people really like. It allows them to stay close to home and still get some extra soccer training for those that want it."
Burton said one area where the GSSA is trying to improve is making sure that all of its coaches are qualified.
"One thing that we are really trying to focus on is coaching education," Burton said. "We have probably been lacking in that. We’ve had a lot of 'I want to go play select, I want to go play something else, because I don’t learn that much playing soccer here.’ We are really trying to put an emphasis on coaching education and making sure that coaches have the proper licenses. We offer free coach training a couple of times a year with professional coaches."
GSSA offers soccer to children ages 4-18.
"We do that for kids that don’t make the high school team, so they can still have a place to come and play soccer," Burton said.
Registration for the fall season started on May 1 and can be completed on the GSSA Web site at http://gssa.sportslink.ws/ or at their office located at 1001 W. Northwest Highway, Suite D, in Grapevine.
RAGE Takes Second Place in Mansfield Tourney
The ’98 Flower Mound RAGE finished in second place in the Mansfield May Playday 10U Softball Tournament on May 3-4.
The RAGE are a select fast-pitch softball team that draws players from Flower Mound, Trophy Club, Justin and Highland Village.
Team members include Cami Conrad, Kayla Blythe, Billie McFadyen, Jacey Allen, Ashley Bostick, Amanda Roth, Allison Jones, Kelsey Keeton, Kaylee Freeman, Abby Smith, Jeyci Lopez and Amanda Healer.
Keith Allen, Daron Blythe, Lance Conrad and Marcie Conrad coach the team.
— John English, Contributing Writer