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	The Manchester Enterprise A Heritage Newspaper Weekly Publication

Soccer organization kick starts interest

Increased interest has local soccer league thinking of expansion

By Ed Patino, Staff Writer

PUBLISHED: June 21, 2007

When the Manchester Soccer Association began operations five years ago, it wanted to raise the interest of the sport in the community.

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It has accomplished that mission.

Today the Manchester Soccer Association (MSA) is thriving with strong numbers, multiple age divisions and hopes for future expansion.

Since its beginning as a house league in 2002, the association has developed travel teams, a fall and spring league, drop-in soccer and several youth soccer camps including the Rob Miller Camp, in which the MSA works with the Anderson University men's soccer coach, his staff and players with teaching soccer skills to participants. This year, the camp takes place June 25-28 at Alumni Field.

Kelly Ball, the MSA's public relations director and manager of the boys' U-12 team, like many others, is excited with the direction the association is heading.

"The more growth we have will help us get to a higher level that we can compete," Ball said. "The house league is growing, and we hope to expand age groups."

Currently, the MSA offers a house league for boys and girls ages 5 and up. It also has four travel teams; boys' U-10, girls' U-10, boys' U-12 and girls' U-12. The travel teams play in the Southeastern Michigan Soccer Association (SEMSA) along with teams from Tecumseh, Clinton, Ann Arbor, Chelsea and Temperance.

With the increased participation, there is hope for the MSA to develop a U-14 division and a premier league, in which two or three players from each travel league can tryout.

"Kids in the premier league would play on teams with children they normally compete against," Ball said.

Each division of the travel league can play two seasons a year. Those who made the fall rosters are eligible to play in the spring. Tryouts for the fall teams usually take place during the early summer. This year, the boys' tryouts are June 30 and the girls' tryouts are July 7.

The spring travel league concluded its season June 10 with the SEMSA Cup Tournament in Adrian. The Manchester Lady Dutch U-10 team was the association's top finisher, going 2-1-2 in the tournament for third place. During the regular season, the U-10 girls posted a 7-2-1 record, finishing second in the league. They also won the MSA's Sportsmanship Award for the spring season.

The MSA also has drop-in soccer, which is open to everyone in the community. Drop-in games are Tuesdays at Alumni Field.

Manchester resident Edith Meyers, who wanted to develop a soccer league in Manchester after noticing successful programs in Clinton, started the program.

"Edith provided her own money to establish a soccer program here," Ball said. "She built a strong foundation for the association."

As interest and participation in the house league grew, so did the MSA. The first Rob Miller camp was held in 2003, allowing players to work on their skills during the summer. MSA president and U-10 girls' coach John Collins, who helped the organization join the SEMSA in spring 2006, started the travel teams.

This past season saw the MSA expand to four travel teams representing Manchester in the league. In all, 44 families from the community have players in the travel program.

"The travel league added another dimension and is helping us build toward competing at the higher levels," Ball said. "There's been an increase in family interest, and we want the awareness to continue to develop."

With more exposure and participation, the MSA's future is bright. While its main goals for now are to develop the U-14 division and premier leagues, there is also hope that Manchester can one day have soccer offered at the high school varsity level.

"The current U-12 players could set the stage for the U-14 program," Ball said. "We're starting with baby steps, but the ball is rolling. Soccer has been a big hit in Manchester, and hopefully the momentum continues."

Staff Writer Ed Patino can be reached at 428-8173 or epatino@heritage.com.