Sports
Grand Bahama girls soccer sets its new goals!
Oct 3, 2012 - 6:27:37 PM

GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN - Soccer starts OCTOBER 6th: Young soccer fanatics at this year's soccer camp with on the right local coach, former girls' league player, and soccer college scholarship holder Arianna Smith.

Freeport, Bahamas - Girls' soccer gets under way again this Saturday, October 6th from 2 - 4pm at the Freeport Rugby Football Club on East Settlers Way with a big boost coming to the Grand Bahama Girls' Soccer Developmental League.

Organisers are following last year's record-breaking season, which saw just under 300 signed up before a waiting list was closed, with a big investment. Twelve new goals are waiting to be shipped from the US to go with the six bought last year and it will mean that each of the three leagues will be played with state of the art equipment.

The League will be entering its 12th year and each has seen growth, not just in numbers taking part, but in the ability of the players.  The skills learned in the five-month-long season, and at the island's annual soccer camp, where the youngsters get world-class coaching from UK specialists, has transformed the sport.

Registration is $25 (cash) and takes place from 1pm this Saturday  with informal practice and games to follow until 4pm.  The following week the coaches who assist league founders Mary Woodside-Knowles and Donnie Knowles will be assessing the youngsters before allocating them to teams.

The teams are chosen to ensure that they have a balance of skills, to make the leagues more competitive. Once they are established uniform t-shirts are handed out.

Leagues are generally based on age, but players who are otherwise too young but show real skill or promise are often assigned to a team in a higher league.

Last season showed how important early registration is.  The maximum number of children who can take part is 260 and that figure was reached very quickly last year.  A waiting list was started, but even that had to be closed after a short time. Ninety-eight girls have already preregistered.

"We don't like to disappoint people but the sport has become so popular we are just not able to accommodate everyone who wants to play.  We cannot stress enough how important it is to sign up the first week and not leave it for a few weeks, "said Donnie Knowles.

"What happens is that the kids have a great time and they tell their friends when they get back to school on the Monday.  The following Saturday more show up and then the cycle starts again.  Last year the numbers just snowballed over the weeks."

"The point is that the children have fun and they get the exercise which is so important for them to remain healthy.  They also get training in life concepts like teamwork, sportsmanship, and right thinking.  We always start each Saturday with a meeting on the bleachers in which we stress the virtues of hard work, thinking of others, and prayer."

Parents who want to get a start on the opposition and beat the long line on Saturday can get registration forms this week from Coach Donnie and Mary's company Town and Country Maintenance at 5, Yellow Pine Street.


For more information:  Mary Woodside-Knowles at 352 3641


Registration forms are also available on the groups' Facebook page: Grand Bahama Girls Soccer, as well as on TheBahamasWeekly.com (see attached below)


DOWNLOAD and PRINT your REGISTRATION FORM below:

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