Lethbridge Soccer Association seeing an increase of players

By Lethbridge Herald on May 28, 2022.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Like many other organizations, the Lethbridge Soccer Association had its fair share of challenges through the COVID-19 pandemic, but feel they are on the upswing into a normal outdoor season in 2022.

LSA went from 900 registered players last year to 2,000 this year.

“It’s definitely up and it’s great to have the kids back involved in sports — I mean that’s what they love right,” said Kristy Lauzon, LSA program coordinator.

“It’s nice because the kids use team sports as a safe haven. That’s their safe place to come, right. They can be however they want because your teammates won’t judge you. So it’s nice to see those kids and everybody back participating, smiles on their faces (and) having a blast. So we’re climbing.”

Lauzon said their goal next year will be 2,500 participants for outdoor.

“It’s been a super easy transition back to normal,” said Lauzon.

“It’s what people wanted right. Membership was always like ‘Why can’t kids play sport?’ It was completely out of our hands. Unfortunately we were tied by the government and that’s what we had to follow. Even with them putting in vaccine passports, our numbers took a little bit of a hit for the indoor season because there’s so many people who weren’t vaccinated or who weren’t going to test weekly to come play twice a week here.”

LSA has seen their outdoor house league flourish and use all of the city’s fields from Monday to Thursday, while the Lethbridge FC clubs train on Tuesdays and Thursdays and have 19 teams in the loop this season.

“So, yeah, we’re up,” she said.

“We’ve reintroduced the U9 program back into the whole scheme of things and now we go U9 to U17. So it’s great.”

Lethbridge FC’s home tournament for the U9-U17 will be returning this year for the first time since pre COVID from June 24-26 at the Sports Park.

“That’s one tournament that we really hope to grow to what it used to be,” said Lauzon.

The men’s and women’s Alberta Major Soccer League teams are back after a couple of years on hiatus.

Lauzon says it a challenge to get parent volunteers.

“I think once the parents do get involved, they can see how fun it is,” she said.

“We have an amazing group this year. They bring such a fun energy to the group.”

LSA will be hosting a Timbits Day for the U5 and 6s on May 28 and a Soccer Fest year-end wind up at the Servus Soccer Centre on June 18 for U14 to U13.