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Millet Agriplex to become a hub for indoor soccer

Wetaskiwin Soccer Club will be operating out of the Millet Agriplex this season.
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Turf is already in the Millet Agriplex and ready for the indoor soccer season. Photo by Shaela Dansereau.

Activities will look different for the Millet Agriplex this year. Instead of the hustle of hockey season, the Agriplex will provide a home for the Wetaskiwin Soccer Club.

The Town of Millet decided not to put ice in the Agriplex this season due to the needed ice floor repairs, which the Town recently received a government grant for and will begin construction mid-end of February 2021.

The Town of Millet and City of Wetaskiwin have partnered to operate the Millet Agriplex as a field house from Sept.15 to the beginning of construction. The field house turf has been supplied by the City of Wetaskiwin.

READ MORE: City of Wetaskiwin and Town of Millet partner to ensure continued recreation access for all residents

The Wetaskiwin Soccer Club is welcoming members from Millet and the County of Wetaskiwin area to join a team in the league this year. Teams will be made up of 8-12 players and a maximum of two coaches.

Club President Tad Kircher, says that there has been a lot of interest from the community in their U13, U15, and U18 teams thus far. The Club will also be running a U7 and U11 program.

Each team is considered its own cohort, meaning that if your child is part of one of the Wetaskiwin Soccer Club’s teams, they can’t be part of other sports leagues such as hockey due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Because they can have up to 50 people within their cohorts, a group of approximately four teams will also be considered a cohort, allowing these teams to play against each other in the league. In addition if the teams take a full two-week break from play, new cohorts (new arrangement of teams that you compete against) within the Central Alberta Youth Soccer league can be created.

Team locations within this league include: Wetaskiwin, Ponoka, Camrose, Lacombe and Red Deer.

The Wetaskiwin Soccer Club says that it is still looking for members to play, with training starting Oct. 5, 2020. They are also looking for coaches. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, an individual can only coach one team, and not multiple like years previous.

The way the teams operate inside of the new makeshift field house will also differ because of COVID-19.

There will be no change rooms or team rooms available for the athletes, so they will have to come dressed for soccer, although they can wait to put on their indoor shoes until in the building.

Upon entering the Agriplex, all athletes and guests will be greeted at the door with a COVID-19 checklist and hand sanitizer. Masks will be required until either seated in the stands or on the field with your team.

The seats in the stands are sectioned off to ensure social distancing and the Agriplex staff will thoroughly clean the building after each booking; including all of the equipment such as balls that are to be left at the Agriplex.

“If you are not in a seat please wear your mask until you are outside,” Kircher says in regards to parents and other spectators.

Washrooms in the building will be available to those in the facility.

In terms of equipment to play, Kircher says the athletes will need shin guards, socks, shorts not pants, and indoor only running shoes—cleats are not mandatory for the indoor turf. Coaches and team staff will be responsible for the team’s pinnies.

“This is exciting for us,” Kircher says. The club looks forward to an active season that will give local kids the chance to make the best out of a strange COVID-19 season.



shaela.dansereau@pipestoneflyer.ca

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Members of the Wetaskiwin Soccer Club and management kneel centre field. Photo by Shaela Dansereau.
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A player with the Wetaskiwin Soccer Club shows off her skills. Photo by Shaela Dansereau.
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Seats in the stands of the Millet Agriplex are sectioned off to ensure social distancing with cohorts. Photo by Shaela Dansereau.