For the many volunteers, especially the coaches, that it takes to maintain a first-rate program like BRYC’s, the end of another soccer season is a bittersweet time.  All Star coaches will be busy through the end of November before they get to relax, but for the others, this Saturday marks the end of having to race home from the office for an early practice, or having to wake up on a frosty Saturday morning to set up a field for the first game of the day.  For that they are no doubt thankful.

At the same time, for some who live and breathe the beautiful game, or simply enjoy spending a few hours a week on the pitch with the kids, especially those coaching the younger set in the "Mini-Kickers" Division, seeing just how far the boys and girls have progressed in a season has to be one of the great rewards of coaching.  

Take the U7 Boys "Sonic Strikers", coached by Rorik Ebbesen, assisted by various parents during the season including Yong Kim (father of Benjamin) and Mike Kucharczk (father of Robert) on Saturday mornings when the boys are playing two simultaneous games.  At the beginning of the season it was getting used to goal kicks and kick-ins instead of coaches constantly keeping a ball in play.  By the end of the season it must be of some satisfaction to now watch the boys "kind of" understand what the diamond formation is all about...or at least understand what the coaches mean when they tell the boys to "move up" or where they want them to be on the field if they are a forward, a defender, or an "all field" player.  It almost seems a shame that the season is so short and ends so soon.  (It doesn’t have to. There is, after all, indoor soccer to fill those long winter months!)

If you really want to stay involved, the EXCOM (including the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners, League Directors, Registration, Uniforms, Fields, Referees and other supporting cast) continues to meet through the winter months in preparation for the spring season. There are at least one or two open positions for the spring season.  We’d love to have you join us.  Call or email Commissioner Dan Lemieux if you’d like to be more involved.

(Thanks to parent/photographer Ilean Kucharzyk for her photos from the Strikers hard-fought late-October game against the Eagles.)