13.6 C
Niagara Falls
Monday, June 16, 2025
NOTL Soccer Club kicks off summer season
U10 soccer teams play through the rain at the NOTL Soccer Club opening festival. MADDY GORDON

First there was rain, then there was shine, but regardless, the opening day festival for the Niagara-on-the-Lake Soccer Club’s summer season went off without a hitch.

On Saturday, the NOTL Soccer Club kicked off the season with matches in all age groups, ranging from the four and five-year-old Timbits up to the U15 players.

Club president Carrie Plaskett said she can tell people are excited to be back for the summer.

The opening day festival is all about players meeting their teammates, receiving their uniforms and getting comfortable dribbling the ball again, Plaskett said.

But instead of running official games, teams play scrimmage rounds on opening day to adjust to the soccer pitch and their new teammates.

Another way players are brought back into the sport after the winter is with training workshops.

To prepare some of the younger kids, varsity soccer players from Brock University were invited to run a special skills session for the second year in a row.

Grace Tawil led the workshop and guided U8 players through skills such as dribbling, spreading out on the field and keeping heads up and eyes on the play.

She said it’s fun to work with kids because they’re inspired by watching the older players.

“They’re very happy to have some role models,” Tawil said. “It’s nice to see where the ages are at now with soccer and it’s fun to see how excited they are when they score.”

Like the Brock students, there are returning families and kids eager to get back on the field.

Andrew Perry has three boys playing in the NOTL Soccer Club this summer. Nine-year-old Hudson is back for his fourth year and five-year-old Kade for his second, while four-year-old Jagger is gearing up for his first year.

Perry said the two younger boys enjoyed their first games but were almost equally as excited about the beloved snack stand.

Despite the rain, Hudson was enthusiastic about his game, Perry added.

Across all age groups, the NOTL Soccer Club has around 400 players this year. The most popular age group is Jagger and Kade’s group, the Timbits, which has around 80 players.

Plaskett said she’s happy to see so many Timbits this year. When kids start at a younger age, they usually come back each year more competitive and more eager to play, she explained.

“(The Timbits) keep us alive. They’re our future,” Plaskett said.

The excitement for the upcoming season could be felt even as the rain poured. Luckily, by the afternoon, the skies cleared enough for some of the teams to play on a dry field.

Coaches, parents and players are hoping for more sunny days to come as the season progresses and games become more competitive.

maddygordon@niagaranow.com

Subscribe to our mailing list