Wildhorse soccer prepares for season

PLAINS – Whistles and goals will fill the air of the athletic fields of Plains as children of all ages start running from one side of the soccer field to the other once the youth season starts up.

The Wildhorse Youth Soccer Association is currently holding open registration for the upcoming soccer season in Plains.

Parents can enroll their children in one of the local soccer teams through August 1.

The Plains soccer association consists of six different teams, split up based on the ages of the players partaking in the sport.

WYSA teams are made up of an under 6 squad, an under 8 team, under 10, under 12, under 15 and under 18 groups.

While most of the aforementioned teams practice and play completely within their own age groups, the U15 and U18 teams practice together throughout the soccer season.

Mary Russell of the Wildhorse Youth Soccer Association clarified the age groups also play together when opposing teams do not have enough players to fill out two distinct rosters.

Youth soccer practices will start up in a little over a month.

Practices are tentatively scheduled to begin towards the end of August.

Young athletes will get their first taste of competition a week after the Sanders County Fair comes to a conclusion.

“The season will start on the Saturday after the fair,” Russell said.

Where the different age groups of the town’s soccer association will practice and play is still somewhat up in the air.

Teams from the under 15 and under 18 age groups may find themselves competing on brand new athletic fields once this year’s soccer season gets under way.

The brand new Amundson Sports Complex, officially opened earlier this summer with a ceremony on Saturday June 7, will shortly have regulation size soccer fields to accompany the two new baseball fields already in operation.

It is unknown as of yet if the U15 and U18 field will be completed by late August.

Russell noted those preparing the fields for late summer competition are doing a great job and working very hard to open the fields in time.

The other age groups will get their soccer experience at the athletic facilities available at Plains High School.

Once competition starts the WYSA squads will compete against a group of local competition.

Opponents will include football associations from Thompson Falls, Superior, St. Regis and Polson.

Russell said participation for the Wildhorse soccer teams has been quite steady over the last few years.

A total of 95-120 young athletes have filled out the rosters of the six teams over each of the last five soccer seasons.

The local association has worked to change the perception surrounding soccer and draw more young athletes into the annual months of competition.

“A lot of people consider soccer a little kids sport. But we have still had strong numbers over the last few years,” Russell said.

The sport of soccer is slowly and steadily gaining popularity across the nation and Wildhorse soccer may see a boost in participation if the sport’s popularity continues to grow.

The strong performance by the United States Men’s National Team at this year’s World Cup in Brazil, certainly will not hurt the effort to draw more young athletes to the game of soccer.