Charlestown Youth Soccer kicked off last Thursday, Sept. 5, with a fun clinic drawing some 400 kids to Barry Field (The Oilies) to participate with players from the New England Revolution.
That was followed up by a weekend full of the first exciting games of the season for boys and girls in the Town.
In its 12th year, Charlestown Youth Soccer Association has grown to more than 200 in-house players Grades K-2, and 250 travel players on 20 teams that represent Grades 4-8.
“Our mission is to introduce to the youth of Charlestown the game of soccer through the development of individual skill, fitness, teamwork and fair play,” said President Allen Reitz. “CYSA has approximately 100 coaches and 13 Board of Directors on our volunteer staff.”
Reitz said they have made great progress over the last few years in raising the level of competition amongst its teams, and bringing in more younger players to rise up through the ranks.
A big coup this year for the league was to secure a permit to also play games on The Oilies throughout the fall season, which ends in November. That will allow them to get in more games on both those fields and the Charlestown High School turf field.
On Thursday, MGH planned the soccer clinic for Charlestown Youth Soccer as part of their partnership with the New England Revolution. Players Matt Turner, Brandon Bye, Cody Cropper, and Brad Knighton led the kids in some drills, answered questions and signed autographs.
It was a tremendous boost as children headed into their first weekend of games.