Sports

Youth Soccer Action Opens

Saturday marked opening day for the Swampscott Youth Soccer Association's spring season.

Scrappy youth charged up and down the field at late Saturday afternoon, each of the U-9 intramural teams trying to push the ball toward the opposite goal.

In the mix they were learning sportsmanship andfundamentals such as dribbling, passing and shooting, Yellow team Coach David Coleman said after the match.

The Yellow and Navy game was the last of the contests on Opening Day for the Swampscott Youth Soccer Association. Yellow won 3-0.

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Midfielders, strikers and defenders pounded over the turf and goalies stood their ground on about 10 Swampscott fields, said the SYSA’s communication director, Rich Fuller.

Preparation for opening day started the weekend before when 16 volunteers strung goal nets and lined fields in preparation for the spring season, he said.

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“It’s a very big effort,” he said.

Some 700 youth belong to the SYSA.

The league has intramural squads where youth are introduced to the game and develop an interest in it.

From there, players step up to travel teams at various age groups and skill levels to encourage participation, Fuller said.

The intramural teams play each Saturday.

The travel teams practice twice a week and play on Saturdays.

Spring league action continues through mid-June.

In the Yellow/Navy match, players raced over the field kicking up dirt and collecting souvenir grass-stains.

Coach Coleman said yesterday’s play was the first time some of the kids had played in competitive games.

Others have been playing since they were 5 years old.

He emphasizes good sportsmanship, which he saw on the field.

Kids listened to the referee and shook hands with the players on the other team after the match.

They had fun and learned about the game.

“We want the kids to enjoy coming out and playing,” he said.


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