Youth season set to start this weekend

The local youth soccer season kicks off this weekend in both the recreational and competitive levels.

On the rec side, King’s Park, KVR Middle School and Pen-Hi will be the venues as around 600 male and female players in divisions ranging from under-11 to under16/18 take part in the annual Icebreaker Tournament on Friday and Saturday.

“It’s a great opportunity for the players to get out on the field, meet their new teammates and shake off some rust before the league season gets going (the following week),” said Pinnacles FC rec program director Matthew Wood.

The Pinnacles FC rec program covers plays from the Osoyoos, Oliver, Keremeos, Penticton and Summerland area.

Wood noted when league play begins, games are also played in the outlying areas, in addition to the Penticton fields.

Games at the Icebreaker will be played on Friday afternoon and evening, with a full slate of games scheduled for Saturday starting at 10 a.m.

Despite the cool weather and often-harsh winter, the four fields at King’s Park are in great shape.

“We’re fortunate to have such a great facility with great fields,” said Wood.

He said the rec program registrations are “on par” with last year, noting there will likely be some lastminute sign-ups.

League games for the boys’ and girls’ U16-18 group is Friday, with the U11 to U15 groups playing on Saturdays.

Also starting up next week will be the burgeoning mini-soccer program. Wood said the program — ranging from the wildly popular U3 “soccer tots” to U8 — is bigger than it’s ever been.

The first practice for the U5 to U8 groups is Monday, with the mini-soccer game day slate starting next Saturday (April 14).

All three slots for the soccer tots group have been filled, said Wood.

“It’s going to be a big year for our entire mini program,” he said.

Thompson Okanagan Youth Soccer League competitive level play begins this weekend as well with six games set for King’s Park on Sunday.

On the girls’ side at King’s Park No. 3 field, Pinnacles FC plays Kelowna United in U18 play at 11 a.m., Vernon United in U14 action at 1 p.m., and Shuswap in the U16/17 division at 3 p.m.

On the boys’ side at King’s Park No. 4 field, Pinnacles FC faces Kelowna United in U18 play at 11 a.m., while Vernon United provides the opposition in a U15 game at 1 p.m. and a U13 game at 3 p.m.