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Soccer Parents
On the sidelines but hardly sidelined
BY KAREN SECORD
Last season 732,521 children under
the age of 18 played soccer in
Canada, an increase of 12,896 or 1.79
per cent over 2006 registration numbers.
Most of the players, 385,026 or
44.36 per cent, were from Ontario.
But the numbers barely begin to
tell the whole story.
“Without a doubt, soccer is the
most popular athletic endeavour in
Ottawa, probably in Ontario,” says
John Foley, President of the West
Carleton Soccer Club (WCSC). “And
it is administered by volunteers who
for the most part are, or have been,
soccer parents. They are the
lifeblood of the organization.”
A fair estimate might be that well
over one million Canadian parents
pay for field time and referees, buy
soccer cleats and shin pads and
colour-coordinated socks, sew name
bars on jerseys, organize tournaments,
fundraise and, season after
season, drive umpteen kilometres.
When a parent registers a child
in soccer, he or she is making both a
financial and time commitment. Add
volunteering to the mix and those
same parents are upping their commitment
to the community — making
the game better for everyone’s
children.
“I became involved in soccer
because my kids were,” recalls Carp’s
Diana Baird. “I was already at the
field anyway. I thought I should help
out, even though I had no real knowledge
of the sport.”
As Diana’s daughter’s advanced
from houseleague play to competitive
and on to university-level soccer, her
role in the sport also evolved. For
nearly 10 years, Diana was the area
representative on the WCSC’s board
of directors. Every August for four
years she organized an end-of-season
tournament for 1,000 young players.
And when it came time to review
scholarship opportunities, Diana
became not only an advocate for her
children but also for the children of
other area parents.
“The number one misconception
parents have is that American coaches
are going to come knocking on their
door to offer their child a scholarship,”
says Baird. “In reality, even the
most successful amateur athletes need
to negotiate with schools, highlighting
their skills, so that coaches are familiar
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Due West/Due East Magazine • Summer 2008 Ottawa Page 39