P&R Soccer clinic host over 100

Malta Parks and Recreation (MPR) hosted its second and final soccer clinic event last Saturday at Murray Field. Soccer is a sport that is quickly gaining popularity across the country and it was evident that soccer is popular here in Malta as the clinic recorded 102 signees for the event. The event was held not only to get kids active but to see if the community would welcome a fall soccer league.

"We just kind of formed a committee and everyone in that committee had a meeting and put it together," Natalie Judd told the PCN.

Many of the adult leaders at the event have had experience either playing or coaching soccer prior to the two day event which started Saturday, April 23. Judd, having experience in soccer clinics in her former town was chosen to lead.

"I helped out in Ajo, Ariz. where we are from," Judd said.

She then shared some of the benefits of the sport.

"I think it's great, especially for little kids," she said. "It's something they can do that helps with developing their coordination. It's easy to do, the kids love it and it's fun."

Sarah Pagett was coaching the younger group Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten for the event and she agreed.

"Soccer is a really active, interactive sport, so the kids tend to really enjoy it because they are constantly moving, getting good exercise, a lot of teamwork and I think that's why soccer is so important."

Malta has tried to hold soccer leagues before but that did not detour the PR crew from trying again.

"I heard a while back they had soccer but it just didn't go over very well," Judd said. "But it seems like we have a great interest and we are excited and hoping to get a league in the fall."

Though Judd isn't exactly sure how a league would look this fall, she is confident it is possible considering the money raised by the five dollar sign up for the clinic.

"Because of the great turnout we've had enough money that we can start getting goals," she said. "It will be a process but we should be able to get a league going in the fall. Especially for third grade and down."

Malta Schools and the community of Malta provided a majority of the equipment used to field the two day event including, penny jerseys, whistles, clip boards and cones.

"We've had a ton of help from the community, the school district not only let us use Murray Field, to hold this clinic but they lent us lots of soccer balls, cones and goals," MPR member Julia Tatafu said. "The Malta Rec Board did not want to purchase that stuff before we saw what kind of interest we would have for next fall."

Though there were over one hundred participants at the clinic, Judd is sure there may be more out there that want to play this fall.

"We just kind of wanted to see what kids were interested," Judd said. "There's probably a lot more interested that haven't come so that's why we're hoping we will be able to get a league started and we will have a great turnout."

The event hosted children age five to twelve but they haven't ruled out expansion in the future.