FARMINGTON – After 112 hours, 84 team practices, 42 games, and 185 scored goals, the Farmington Recreation Department has recently wrapped up its Youth Soccer Programs for children 3 years old through 6th grade.
The programs had great numbers this season with over 60 Kindergarteners and 3- and 4-year-olds registered for the Prep Soccer Club and Little Kicks Program. They also had 120 children in the Division One Soccer League which consisted of 8 teams of 1st through 3rd graders. The Division Two League registered 60 children 4th through 6th grade spread out over 6 teams.
Our Division One and Two teams met every Sunday for a competitive game and also participated in an optional practice once a week. Practices were implemented last season, and after seeing great improvements in the players skill levels and team cohesiveness, were incorporated permanently into the season schedule. The Little Kicks Program and Prep Soccer Club had sessions every Sunday afternoon practicing fundamental skills and learning game rules through fun games and drills.
Jaycee Jenckes was the Director of the Farmington Youth Soccer League again this season, organizing game schedules, practices, and collaborating with volunteer coaches to create a memorable season for all 14 teams. Jenckes also ran the Kindergarten Prep Soccer Club. Madison Doody did an incredible job taking over the director position for the Little Kicks Program introducing 3- and 4-year-olds to the sport of soccer alongside their parents and guardians.
The Farmington Recreation Department would like to thank its volunteer coaches, JP Tshamala, Yussuf Adow, Sylvia Brooks, Luke & Nicole Kellett, Heather Ingraham-Quimby, Sabine Klein, Andy & Yvette Robinson, Tara Fakhoury-Bryant, Matt Wotton, Katie Fournier, Cristi DeMarco, Erica Ingrisano, Velda Yashirmo, Erin & Jared Norton, Scott Erb, Andrea Downing, John Logan, Bill Tanner, and Jordon Norton. These coaches put in a lot of their own free time and to make this soccer season extremely fun and successful. Also, the department would like to thank our referees, Avery Isbell, Zackary Lavoie, Madison Doody, and Hunter Bolduc for refereeing all six matches. Each staff member and volunteer played a crucial role in creating an environment that allowed athletes to improve their skills, make new friends, and have fun, all while developing a passion for the sport of soccer. The Rec. is so grateful for the time and effort that each individual put into this season and is thankful to have such a wonderful group of people giving their time to the children in the area.
During Medal Madness, the Farmington Rec. Dept. presented two awards, the John Boutilier Memorial
Award and the Jimmy Joe Allen Memorial Award. The John Boutilier Award represents a favorite fan that demonstrates enthusiasm and support through the entire length of the soccer program. This year, Ilze Balodis was the recipient of this award. She has two granddaughters who have gone through the Farmington Youth Soccer programs and is always cheering from the sidelines for both teams, complimenting and expressing gratitude to our coaches and refereeing staff, and is overall a wonderful and positive role model on the sidelines.
The co-recipients of the Jimmy Joe Allen Award were coaches Katie Fournier and Erica Ingrisano. Both individuals are in their second year of volunteering for the Farmington Recreation Department as coaches and are always helping before and after games and practices, positively influencing their players, and going the extra mile for their teams to make sure each child had an amazing soccer season.
Overall, the soccer season was a major success and the Farmington Recreation Department plans on implementing more improvements each year in order to offer an exceptional program that helps the participants grow as athletes.
More Pictures and videos can be found on the Farmington Parks and Recreation Department’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/farmingtonrec.
