Soccer: The Southwest Voice

New indoor soccer season to begin soon

A new indoor soccer season will begin July 28 at The Vision Zone indoor soccer complex, 4309 C Well Tech Way. The deadline for registration (forms and money) is July 18. We will have all age and gender divisions, youth through adults. To register, call Roxanne at 319-0364.

Visit: www.zoneindoor.com for all forms and information.

Brigade Announces the 1st Annual Blacktop Battle Street Soccer Tournament & Father’s Day Fiesta

The Bakersfield Brigade Youth Soccer Club (www.bbysc.com), announced today that the 1^st Annual Blacktop Battle Street Soccer Tournament and Father’s Day Fiesta will be held on June 14^th and 15^th at Stramler Park (3805 Chester Avenue). This event includes a two day 4v4 street soccer tournament and culminates with a festival in honor of Father’s Day on Sunday, June 15^th.

“We are extremely excited to host this event,” stated BBYSC Director of Coaching, Marc Riley. “I think there is something for everyone here and we are looking forward to a great turnout,” added Riley. The Brigade has already booked live bands for the Father’s Day Fiesta that include popular rock band Secondhand Serenade; a renowned cover band of the late Johnny Cash, Cash’d Out; a notorious reggae band from Maryland, Positive Vibrations; and local Mariachi favorite, San Marcos. These bands are in addition to a variety of carnival booths that include human foosball, a petting zoo, the FIFA Xbox Lounge, Cotton Candy booth, and so much more. The event will also have great food catered by Chuy’s and drinks by the event’s title sponsor, Tecate. With live music, quality food and drinks, and a carnival atmosphere for the whole family, the Father’s Day Fiesta is sure to be a success. The cost of the Father’s Day Fiesta is only $5 and kids under 18 as well as Blacktop Battle participants are admitted free. The Blacktop Battle has competitive levels for every player. The street soccer tournament features youth brackets for kids Under 10 through Under 18 and adult brackets for Premier, Open, and Co-ed teams (4-6 players per team roster). The cost of the Blacktop Battle is $210 per adult team and $150 per youth team. There are cash prizes available for both the Men’s and Women’s Premier brackets and age specific prizes for the winners of each youth bracket. All proceeds benefit the Bakersfield Brigade Youth Soccer Club, which is a non-profit organization, and other local charities. Information on pre-sale tickets for the Father’s Day Fiesta and team registration for the Blacktop Battle can be found at www.bakersfieldbrigade/blacktopbattle.com or by calling (661) 410-KICK.

The Bakersfield Brigade Youth Soccer Club is a competitive organization that includes 27 boys and girls teams ages Under 11 through Under 19 years old. For more information please visit: http://www.bbysc.com.

STATE CUP 2008 FINALIST

Congratulations to

Erica Villa, Stockdale High front row far left and Daisy Hernandez, Liberty High middle row far left these two girls make the 2 hr drive to play for Real California Soccer Club in Thousand Oaks Ca, this year they made it all the way to the finals of Cal South State Cup U15 girls 57 teams started but only 2 made the finals they played a big part in the teams advancement to the final they played every minute of 8 games leading them to finals they lost 2-0 to a very strong San Diego Surf team in the finals at Temecula John Blanche Memorial Soccer Complex.

Soccer Registration Time!

The Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America is pleased to introduce a new program for the community – Soccer and Scouting! Soccer and Scouting brings the excitement of soccer and the character building values of Scouting together for a non-competitive league where the focus is on fun!

Your child does not have to be a Scout to play, and Soccer and Scouting is available to both boys and girls!

Soccer and Scouting is a year round program in which your child will learn soccer skills, build teamwork, make new friends and have fun all at the same time.

Sign up on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at Virginia Park Soccer Field located at Virginia Ave and Industrial Street. The registration fee is $50 and includes a soccer uniform and soccer ball.

For more information please contact Gabriela Puga at the Boy Scout office at 661-325-9036.

Soccer Fans of all sizes

James Bics and his daddy, David, watching big brother Eric play soccer.

Third season ends on a ‘fun’ note

The third soccer season of Faith Unity Nurture, or FUN, Sports finished with a bang on Oct. 27. At the last game every child received a trophy for participation.

In 2005 FUN sports had 130 kids sign up for soccer. Today there are over 450 kids playing fall soccer. The program season lasts for seven weeks with three practice sites. The Northeast site was at Calvary Bible Church, the Southwest site was a St. Philip Church and the Northwest site was at Norris Elementary School. Kids would only practice once a week for one hour and all games were played at Freedom Middle School.

Ages of players range from 3 to 13. All coaches are volunteer parents with team parents to help them. What makes FUN Sports different from most sports programs in Bakersfield is that each practice and game is opened with a bible verse and prayer and ended in team prayer.

The winter sport coming up is basketball or ages 4 to 14. There will be practice sites in the Southwest and Northeast, and games will be held in Bakersfield Christian High School gym. The six-week program begins in January. Cost is $55. Space is limited due to gym issues so sign up early in November.

To register or for more information, visit: www.myfunsports.com or call 378-2749.

Good sportsmanship, positive coaching cornerstones of AYSO

The final curtain has not yet closed on AYSO soccer at CSUB.

While the university has given notice that the school's expansion calls for buildings where the fields are now, Region 73 is guaranteed at least one more fun-filled season on the grass where kids have played for 25 years.

In addition to AYSO, several other organizations have used the soccer fields at CSUB, including American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, BOWS (Bakersfield Organization for Women's Soccer), and the Garces Tournament, held in December for high school soccer teams. The fields were even utilized as a parking lot when the Bakersfield Business Conference was held on the university's grounds.

There's no question that soccer is popular in Bakersfield, and nearly everyone has had personal experience with AYSO or knows someone who has. Approximately 2400 children ages 4 1/2 to 18 participated in the region's fall season, and a similar number is expected next year.

The AYSO program is based upon five philosophies: Everyone Plays, Balanced Teams, Open Registration, Positive Coaching and Good Sportsmanship.

Children are randomly assigned to teams, and all players are guaranteed to play at least half of every game.

AYSO relies on volunteers to coach and referee and provide other support, such as concession sales and regional board positions. Local businesses that sponsor teams provide a significant amount of the funds needed to operate the region, and without their support the region would not prosper as it has for over 30 years.

While Region 73 has enjoyed a continuing relationship with CSUB, its history precedes those fields. When the region was founded in 1975, games were held on elementary, junior high and high school fields scattered throughout Southwest Bakersfield, and later moved to church fields. Many teams still practice on school fields, and returning to those fields for games, at least temporarily, is a possibility that the region is investigating.

Region 73 has been quietly searching for new fields for several years. Several locations have previously been considered, but ultimately deemed incongruent with the region's current needs and vision for the future.

Most recently, the region has participated in several meetings with the city regarding locating the new fields at the corner of Ashe and Taft Highway, adjacent to the city's water treatment facility. The region gathered hundreds of signatures in a show of support for the region's relocation to the city's site, and is prepared to sign a letter of intent regarding the Taft Highway site. In the meantime, the region is willing to look at any other sites offered for the new fields in hopes of finding a suitable location. Once a location has been determined, the region will begin the task of planning and developing the site for play as soon as possible.

While all good things must come to an end, the conclusion of AYSO's tenure at CSUB brings the excitement and anticipation of having a new location to accommodate current and future players. The overwhelming support from the community that has sustained the region throughout the years will be instrumental in securing its future at a new location. In the meantime, Region 73 will enjoy at least one more season on the fields at CSUB that have provided fun, fair and safe soccer to thousands of southwest Bakersfield children through the years.

Do you want to play? Need more information? Want to sponsor a team? Visit Region 73's Web site: www.region73.org

Do you know anyone with land or services to contribute? Contact Greg Collins, member of Region 73's Relocation Committee at 336-0964.