The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The most popular sport in the world is starting to grab the spotlight from the most popular sport in Flin Flon. It's time for hockey to move over with soccer soon to begin and the Creekside Bunk will be the home of a one-day four by four soccer tournament for kids seven to nine-years-old on May 13. The games will last 30 minutes with no goalies and four players a side at all times. "It's fun. I like it," said Don Kirkham, facilities coordinator for the Phantom Lake Soccer Club. "Anything that gets kids exercising, I don't care what the sport is, it's good." The Bunk Soccer tournament will be an annual event. Between games, basic skills will be taught to players. Registration will start on May 1-7. Referee pilot program In Flin Flon, it pays to ref, especially when the Phantom Lake Soccer Club foots the bill with grants for kids to get their certification, which is required for two-day training. "What we have is a great program," Kirkham said. "We bought ref jerseys and we want more referees and do technical training and have mentorship programs-have linesman." Kirkham said there are those who don't want to play the game, but are interested in area of the game. "We want to elevate the standard of refs," he said. "The level is improving every year." Kirkham believes the two-year-old program is going very well with boys and girls involved and skills improving. With the talent of officials raising, Kirkham would like to see that knowledge extended to another group. "It would be a great idea if coaches in senior levels were up to date with rules," he said. "They (rules) change every year." Another program Kirkham would like to see started is an introduction to the game for parents and kids. This would involve a 20-minute warm up with stretches. Kirkham stated for this to happen, 12-14 people would have to be involved.3/29/2006
