Young soccer players will be able to show their interest in the 2016 Power Smart Manitoba Games with the Identification Camp this weekend.
Scott Ansell, regional program coordinator for Manitoba Soccer Association (MSA), will host a one-day camp for players in the Norman region tomorrow at Phantom Lake Soccer Field.
The camp will be open to players between the ages of 10 and 12 who are potentially interested in participating in the 2016 Games.
The camp will be open to male and female players from the Norman region – including Flin Flon, The Pas Norway House and areas – born between 2002 and 2005.
Phantom Lake Soccer Club (PLSC) president Tauvia Alexander says the camp not only helps to develop players, but also strengthens ties with the MSA.
The players will have two-and-a-half hours of development and skills practice with the help of Ansell, coach Rob Abbott and numerous junior coaches from the PLSC.
“They will be running skills, drills and development work with the idea to see the top 16 players in the Norman region,” said Alexander.
The camp is open to all players within the set age group with another Identification Camp to be held in Thompson in August, where the top 16 players for each gender will be looked at more closely.
Alexander says the MSA is realizing the importance of long-term player development and expanding its focus to players outside of larger centres.
“It’s exciting to see [that focus] outside of Winnipeg,” said Alexander. “They were reaching out with the camp and we are embracing it.”
Camp
All players attending the one-day camp will need their own soccer equipment, including shin guards, socks, shoes and a ball if possible.
There are about 90 players from Flin Flon alone eligible to participate.
There are nearly 400 players registered in the PLSC this year with divisions 2 and 3 being the largest groups – covering the 2002 to 2005 age groups.
