By Doug Hare EBS SPORTS EDITOR
This December, the Big Sky Futbol Club, a new 501(c)(3)
non-profit, received three grants totalling $8,000 from the Moonlight Basin,
Spanish Peaks and Yellowstone Club community foundations. In past years, Big
Sky soccer players were typically playing as an affiliate of the Bozeman Blitzz
FC and driving to practice in Bozeman. Not anymore.
With those funds, the BSFC was able to purchase equipment
and uniforms, secure opportunities to play this spring, and pay to certify
coaches and referees. According to their website, the mission of the new soccer
club will be to “promote and foster a love of the
international game of futbol for
players ages 4-19 years who live in the Big Sky community and surrounding
areas.”
Club Director Kim Dickerson said she was
overwhelmed by the interest in Big Sky having its own soccer club, initially
expecting about 60 players and one travel team, registration closed this year
with more than 110 players on rosters, enough for four travel teams and a total
of seven teams with full rosters.
“We really were able to build off the
momentum from the successful season of the co-ed high school soccer team this
fall, coached by Tony Coppola,” said Dickerson. “I’m excited that we’ll be able
to play and practice in our community this year. It’s going to be nice to have
some home games. I just want the kids to have fun.”
“Kim really did some great work getting
us to the point where we could form a board of directors and start gauging
interest from the community,” said Club President Anita Romine. “We’ve received
so much support from the community that our rosters are nearly maxed out.”
Beginning in April, the BSFC will offer
programs ranging from the Mini-Challengers, a five week clinic exposing 4-5
year olds to the game, as well as recreational non-travel and travels teams for
older participants.
Many children have already been
participating in futsal, a variant of indoor soccer, at the Ophir Elementary
School gym during the evenings. But with the snowpack slowly melting, the teams
are hoping to be practicing on grass in the Big Sky Community Park by
mid-April.
