PYSC backs merger with PCSA
The merger of Peterborough’s two largest soccer organizations moved one step closer to reality last week.
The Peterborough Youth Soccer Club (PYSC) voted overwhelmingly at its annual general meeting Nov. 7 to approve a merger with the Peterborough City Soccer Association (PCSA). The PCSA will hold a similar vote at its Dec. 2 AGM.
The PYSC was founded in 1972 and featured 1,200 house league players this year. The PCSA was founded in 1980 and registered 520 rep players in 2017. Peterborough is the only centre in the East Central Ontario Soccer Association (ECOSA) to not have its house league and rep programs under one umbrella. Executive members from both organizations entered into amalgamation talks in February.
PYSC president Shawn Harris said the vote was not unanimous but it was overwhelmingly in favour of amalgamation.
“That’s the first hurdle and Peterborough City has to hold its meeting and vote,” Harris said. “Both sides seem to be pretty much on board so we’re not anticipating any issues.”
PCSA president James Onusko attended the PYSC meeting to support the merger and be available for questions.
“I fully anticipate we will support it overwhelmingly as well,” Onusko said. “We’re excited about the prospects of working under one umbrella in the near future.”
Harris said both sides stand to benefit in many ways.
“There is no hidden agenda. It’s all in the best interests of the kids and soccer in Peterborough,” said Harris.
If the PCSA vote is affirmative, Harris said the next step will be to create a new organization with a new name and a new constitution and submit it to ECOSA for approval.
“Peterborough Youth Soccer will benefit from the experience and knowledge the City coaches have,” Harris said. “Most of our coaches are parents and volunteers. They’re not professional coaches. We’ll benefit from that.”
Harris said closer affiliation will make it easier for City teams to call up house league players to fill in for injuries or when teams are short players.
“It’s going to make it easier to draw players up and when the two clubs are working together they’ll be better able to identify those kids to call up,” he said.
“I think both clubs in general are going to benefit from efficiencies in terms of bigger purchases for uniforms and equipment which should lower our costs.”
Whether or not the amalgamation can be accomplished in time for the 2018 season or whether it will be phased in remains to be seen. There are some details which still need to be ironed out, Harris said, such as the composition of the new board.