Soccer boom continues in Hanover - The Carrilon

Soccer boom continues

With the Hanover Kickers youth and mini-soccer teams already well into their season, the Kickers adult season swings into action this week as the Manitoba Major Soccer League began play.
The Kickers opened their MMSL First Division campaign last night at home at A.D. Penner Park against the Britannia Rovers. Final results were not available at press time. Hanover finished a very respectable sixth in their first season in the First Division last year and player/coach Norman Anderson feels the Kickers can improve on that this year.
"We'll have a pretty good team, we added some new players, I think we could be in the top three this year." Joining Anderson in running the team are player/manager Bob Winkler and player/trainer Jason Moniz. Rounding out the Kickers' 2005 roster are Roy Friesen, Andrew Reimer, Josh Screpnek, Jesus De Leon, Florian Friesen, Eddy Noll, Andreas Bergen, Aaron Reilly, Jake Flores, Daryl Ferguson, Dorian Friesen, Rene Martens, Matt Winkler, Ricky Neufeld, Andy Noll and Ihab Hanna.
The Kickers will play their next home game versus the Winkler Storm on Thurs., May 26 at 7:30 p.m. at A.D. Penner Park.
The Third Division's Hanover Strikers, who were one of the top teams in the division last year hope to keep the momentum going this season and hopefully elevate up to the Second Division next year. The Strikers will open their season on their home pitch at A.D. Penner Park on Tues., May 24 at 7:30 p.m. versus Mundial.
Anderson, also chairman of the entire Hanover Kickers Soccer Club, says there is pressure on the home field at A.D. Penner Park as the Kickers now have four teams in the Manitoba Major Soccer League. In addition to the Hanover Oldtimers playing in the Masters Division, a fourth adult team has been formed due to the growing numbers. They will be known as the Hanover Sting, competing in the MMSL's Winnipeg Division, which essentially is the Sixth Division of the league. The Sting played their inaugural game Tuesday in Winnipeg, losing 5-3 to the Winnipeg Wolves. The Sting will make their home debut on Tues., May 24 at 7:30 p.m. versus Old Boyz at Georgetown Field in Steinbach.
Romania S.C. downed the Hanover Oldtimers 3-1 in the Masters Division season opener May 13 in Steinbach. The Oldtimers also play their home games at Georgetown. The Hanover Oldtimers are in action Friday night in Winnipeg as they take on Lucania Alumni. There are also two Under 16 youth soccer teams (one boys, one girls) competing in the Winnipeg Youth Soccer Association.
Anderson says overall the youth soccer program in Steinbach grew to about 530 players this year. Total registrations with the four adult teams brings the total soccer numbers in the city to more than 600.
There are 48 teams in total operated under the Hanover Kickers umbrella, including 29 mini-soccer teams that compete in a House League and another 15 youth teams compete in the Eastman Soccer League. The other teams are the two U16 regional teams and the four adult teams competing in the Manitoba Major Soccer league.
Anderson notes more and more of the coaches have been getting certified over the winter and that helps the overall strength of the program.
The mini-soccer program is run on eight mini-fields at A.D. Penner Park. There are four full-size fields being utilized in the community, including A.D. Penner Park, Georgetown, Steinbach Bible College and Steinbach Regional School. Although the weather was unseasonably cold the first two weeks as the local soccer program got underway, it still wasn't as bad as last year when a May snowstorm wiped out dozens of games.
Anderson says they may have to cap the number of soccer registrations in Steinbach next year because there are not enough fields. The city has set aside land for a future soccer complex, but those plans have been dormant for over a year. "There are a lack of bodies to get it done, it is difficult to get it going, we are all volunteers," Anderson said. "Soccer outnumbers all other sports, the community needs a sports user survey, and we are trying to work with the City to put together a Sport Alliance."
The Hanover Kickers 2005 Soccer Club board is comprised of president Norman Anderson, secretary Paul Reimer, treasurer Bob Winkler as well as board members Elaine Kalyta, Eugene Yegros, Henry Friesen, Jeff Dyck, Rick Kornelson and Werner Pries