Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 14, 1991 TAG: 9103150226
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-13 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
One sport that requires a lot of physical activity, but not much height or muscle mass, is soccer.
The game has become quite popular in the valley, and there are a variety of options available.
For youth interested in playing the game, Salem and the city of Roanoke offer teams.
For those youths more skilled at playing the sport, the Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Club offers traveling leagues.
And for adults, the Valley United Soccer Club offers competitive play.
Salem has coed leagues for boys and girls 7 to 13 years old. Division I is for 7- to 8-year-olds and is the instructional league; Division II is for 9- and 10-year-olds; and Division III is for those 11 to 13 years old.
Although practice already has begun, the playing season doesn't start until the second week in April. Those interested should contact Dan Jones at 375-3057. There is no cost to play the game, but it is suggested that youth wear soccer cleats and shin guards.
Salem also offers a soccer camp the second week in July. The camp lasts one week, and anyone interested should contact Jones.
Jones said the game has been picking up interest in the Roanoke Valley. "Three years ago, we had 11 teams; the year before last, we had seven; last year we had 21 teams," Jones said.
He said he thinks the sport is so popular because it is not quite as pressure-packed as some other sports.
Ruth Wilkinson, supervisor of athletics for the city of Roanoke, said she thinks the sport's growing popularity is due to the fact that unskilled children can play and enjoy the experience.
Last year, the city had 75 youth recreational teams. The city's youth divisions are: Instructional league for 6 and 7-year-olds; Biddy league for 7- to 8-year-olds; Pee Wee league for 9- and 10-year-olds; Little league for 11- and 12-year-olds; Junior league for 13- and 14-year-olds; and the Senior league for 15-, 16- and 17-year-olds. There are separate leagues for boys and girls.
The city's leagues begin play at the beginning of April, and any young city resident interested in joining may call Wilkinson at 981-2237.
Danny Beamer, owner of the Soccer Stop and executive director of the Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Club, said he also has found interest in soccer growing.
"I was driving down the street the other day and saw a pickup game of soccer," Beamer said. "Five years ago, that would have been a pickup game of basketball or softball, so I definitely think the sport is becoming more popular."
Beamer organizes traveling teams to play in the Blue Ridge Classic League, which competes with Lynchburg, Martinsville, Danville, Blacksburg and other cities in the area.
Youths in this league range from 9 to 18 years old and are classified in single-year groups. Tryouts for the league are held the week after the Memorial Day weekend. And the cost to join the team is between $70 and $130. Beamer said the club has scholarships available to players who cannot meet the financial requirements, but players still will need traveling money.
Last year, Beamer said, a couple of his 21 traveling teams made it to quarter-final action at the state level of competition. This is quite a feat, he said, considering that the soccer program here is only about five or six years old, while the one in Northern Virginia has been around for more than 20 years.
Soccer's popularity worldwide may be due to its universal appeal, said another soccer player.
"Compared to football, soccer does not discriminate on the size of the player," according to David Radford of Valley United Soccer Club for adults. "The tall guy can play soccer just as well as the little person."
Unfortunately, he added, many adults in the area are unfamiliar with the game. That seems to be changing, though.
Radford said groups such as his non-profit organization have been building adult interest in the game.
The Valley United Soccer Club uses Salem fields during its competitive summer league. Division A is very competitive and is made up mostly of adults 18 to 30. The skill level is very high.
Division B has no age restriction and is less competitive. Radford said the skill level is lower and the division is made up mostly of men 30 and over.
Each division usually has about six or seven teams, Radford said.
Teams in this league are required to wear uniform jerseys with numbers on the back so that players can be identified easily, Radford said.
Other equipment required is a shin guard and soccer cleats.
Although this recreational league consists of only men's teams now, Radford said he is interested in starting teams for women as well.
Men or women interested in playing soccer should contact Radford at 989-5986. Open registration begins the first week of May, with play starting the second or third week of June.
by CNB