Amherstburg Soccer Club holds Day of Champions

Players in all age divisions took the field last Sunday morning at the annual house league Day of Champions at the Larry Bauer Soccer Complex.

House league players within the Amherstburg Soccer Club (ASC) wrapped up their season at their Day of Champions last Sunday.

As part of it this year, the ASC was joined by Essex MPP Anthony Leardi to acknowledge the completion of an Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) grant. Leardi said the local minor soccer association received $55,000 over two years to “promote the sport in the area.” The Day of Champions was held at the Larry Bauer Soccer Complex on the grounds of the Libro Centre.

New equipment was also purchased with the funding.

Leardi recognized the players, coaches, parents and families, stating the players are receiving training in sports, guidance, leadership and learning the ability to work as a team.

“This is allowing you to build up health, build character and have a great time,” said Leardi. 

ASC president Dan Hansen said the Day of Champions is the final day of the house league season but the Fusion travel program continues through the end of the month.

“The season went well this year,” said Hansen. “We didn’t have many delays.”

There were weeks where they had to postpone games due to air quality and bad weather but the season went smoothly overall.

“There were no issues, the kids had fun and that’s what we wanted,” said Hansen.

There were nearly 700 players in the house league division this season while there are 250-300 players in travel soccer this year. There are roughly 90 teams between house league and Fusion programs.

“It’s about our average numbers,” said Hansen.

Most of the new players join the ASC in the U3 to U6 age divisions. House league numbers tend to fluctuate, but there are points where house league players move to the Fusion travel program or stop playing soccer altogether.

Many of the Fusion teams are in the middle of the pack in the Essex County Soccer League, he stated, but house league was “pretty equal this year.”

“We try to balance it out,” he said of the house league teams. “It is tough to achieve this goal.”

Soccer players don’t have to wait long to get back on the pitch as tryouts for Fusion will be held in September. Amherstburg does it roughly the same time as other centres, Hansen said.

Amherstburg Soccer Club holds Day of Champions

By Ron Giofu