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.
By the time you read this, the Hapnot Kings and Kweens will either be celebrating or be out of the provincial soccer tournament. On paper it certainly looks as if both teams are favourites to win their pools and play in the zone finals. Unfortunately, we also know that on any given day any team can beat another. I think that we will be winners, both teams are very good, playing good soccer that has turned heads wherever we have played. We both won our respective events in the Hapnot soccer tournament, defeating our closest rivals Ð Thompson Ð in the finals. If the gods are with us we will be training and getting ready for provincials being held October 17-18. Now it is time for me to get controversial. I am repeatedly asked when we will be getting indoor soccer in Flin Flon. This question is asked as if it is inevitable, in fact only a matter of time before we play soccer all winter. If I am truly honest I also think that it is inevitable. Soccer is the fastest growing sport in Canada, Manitoba and Flin Flon. With over 450 youth soccer players, plus 80 ladies playing soccer, and more men playing week after week, the number of soccer players far outweighs any other sport played in our area. The issue for me is, are kids being involved in recreation? There are approximately 200 kids involved in minor hockey, so that leaves 250 kids who may or not be involved in exercise through the winter. If these kids want to play soccer, they get exercise, have fun, and for some, stay out of trouble. Indoor soccer is played in all our larger towns, and is slowly being played in converted hockey rinks all over the prairies. As the cost of ice time increases, and the use of hockey rinks decreases, then the obvious replacement is soccer. I am certain that if we had indoor soccer in Flin Flon we would have an arena that would be used much more than if it contained ice. Ice can only be used for skating, whereas artificial grass can be used for walking, jogging, soccer, seniors and kids exercise programs, plus school programs. Please donÕt misunderstand me. I am not anti hockey, I think hockey is great. I enjoy all sports and really think that promoting sport and exercise is the key to kids doing well in school and in life. But when I look at our community, and compare it to other communities, we can do so much more to promote fitness and a healthy lifestyle. If you want your kids to leave the computer alone, and get out and actually move around, it has to be something they are interested in. There are only so many options, either build a purpose designed facility, or convert an existing one. I would love to see a new indoor soccer building in Flin Flon. The Pas is building one, Thompson is building one, both with government funding, I wonder why once again Flin Flon has been left out of the government hand outs. If you want a new building in Flin Flon please ask your chosen prospective MP why other communities receive substantial sports funding and we donÕt. Why once again Flin Flon seems to be the ugly duckling of the Manitoba landscape.
