4 • The Beacon April 6 , 2023
Hundreds of children participate in SOCCA program
By Josie Sellers
For several Saturdays in the spring and fall , crowds of children and parents descend on Lake Park . The kids are there to play soccer , and the parents are there to cheer them on .
The SOCCA program has been active in Coshocton County since at least 1984 , according to Jarred Renner , current board president . The athletes range in age from 4-18 or until graduation . They come mainly from Coshocton County schools and Newcomerstown , but occasionally , children from Tri-Valley , West Holmes , Port Washington and Cambridge will join a team .
Typically , from 300-360 people are involved in the program , but this year there are 430 .
“ We are excited to see that growth ,” Renner said . “ That number doesn ’ t include the travel team that forms for the fall . I would say roughly 30-40 coaches . Between coaches and assistants , there are closer to 40 adult volunteers who help every week .”
All the coaches and the board members are volunteers .
“ Everything is volunteer except the referees , field painters and the concession stand workers ,” Renner said .
His children started in SOCCA about four years ago , and he then got involved in the board .
“ We have some new board members who joined this year , and that has been a great help ,” Renner said .
Some volunteers have been with the program for years , and other people have watched generations of their family participate .
“ We have been playing SOCCA for a straight 17 years ,” Nichole Braxton said . “ I help coach the sixth- through 12thgrade teams .”
Lori McNichols ’ grandson Kayden Hazlett has played soccer since he was able to , and he is almost 10 now .
“ I used to coach SOCCA myself when my son was 5 years old ,” McNichols said . “ I coached for three years , 25 years ago . It ’ s crazy to watch my now grandson follow in Daddy ’ s footsteps .”
Mary Cottrill said only the COVID shutdown kept her boys away from SOCCA .
“ My boys have been playing for SOCCA since they were old enough to ,” she said . “ My oldest son is in his seventh year , and my youngest is in his fifth year . We just love the program . We never have had an issue with SOCCA . They have awesome coaches that
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Amanda Hamilton shared this picture of the third-grade red team , the Buckeyes , huddling up on game day .
Aja Brandon ’ s son Ethan rests his foot on the ball while he waits with his teammates .
do their best to teach the kids everything they need to know about soccer .”
Angie Copenhaver ’ s son is in his third year with the soccer program .
“ Zach loves SOCCA ,” she said .
Robyn Moore coaches her son ’ s team and has three nieces and nephews playing in preschool .
“ I love the feeling of giving back to the community and teaching the kids new skills ,” she said . “ I get a lot of joy out of knowing I am helping a couple kids find a small path in life . I also get to spend extra time with one of my own children . It ’ s very rewarding when they remember you from the past year or get excited that you ’ re their coach again . It means I made a positive impact on such a small scale .”
Amanda Hamilton has four boys participating in SOCCA . Flint is on the fourth- through fifth-grade team , Fisher is on the third-grade team , Forest is on the first-grade team and Frost is on the preschool team .
“ The boys love the program ,” Amanda Hamilton said . “ They get so excited each practice and each game . We are so thankful for the volunteers that organize the program and for each of the coaches who do a fabulous job . The teams form a great camaraderie that can last for multiple years . Fisher just started his third season with pretty much the same kiddos , the same coach — Josh Fisher , he is phenomenal — and , of course , the same parents that have a great time on Saturday mornings . We love the balance of fun but competitive .”
Aja Brandon has a preschooler and a kindergartener playing .
“ I like that they are learning the fundamental skills , not only for playing the game , but being a team member ,” she said .
Andrea Phillips ’ son Myles got hooked on soccer last year .
“ We ’ ve never had him in any other sports , and he ’ s really enjoyed it ,” Andrea Phillips said . “ Last year was his first year , and he plans to play all through high
“
The boys love the program . They get so excited each practice and each game . We are so thankful for the volunteers that organize the program and for each of the coaches who do a fabulous job .”
Amanda Hamilton
school . Matt ( his dad ) is also a coach and has enjoyed that as well .”
Andrea Goodwin recently got her granddaughter involved in SOCCA .
“ It helps her get good exercise and also to learn good sportsmanship ,” Goodwin said . “ It ’ s not all about winning . It ’ s about playing and having lots of fun .”
Laura Belt is a first-time SOCCA mom with three children playing .
“ When they finally got their teams this year , they were excited to find out they were in class with a lot of their teammates ,” she said . “ It also makes it easier that all the games are Saturday mornings too . I personally enjoy the enthusiasm all the parents have helping at practices and cheering at games , even during the kindergarten games . This past Saturday ( March 26 ) the wind was crazy , chairs blowing down , the water rising by the bridge so high we used cement blocks to walk back to our vehicles , but it didn ’ t stop them from playing and having fun .”
Renner said the games are on Saturdays at Lake Park from 9 a . m . to 1 p . m . SOCCA athletes play six games and have six or seven practices in the spring and then have the same schedule in the fall ( six more games and six or seven more practices ).
“ We usually do seven weeks with a break for Easter in the spring and then seven more weeks with a break for fair in the fall ,” Renner said . “ We do one registration for the spring that usually runs from January to mid-February to give Carroll ’ s Men ’ s Shop time to print the T-shirts and order all the equipment . All ages and levels are mixed boys and girls together . The junior high travel teams are separated boys and girls .”
For more information on the SOCCA program , visit https :// sites . google . com / a / playsocca . org / socca .
“ We offer a low-stress , lowcost way for kids to play soccer ,” Renner said . “ We want all kids to be able to play , so we try to keep our cost down to $ 40 for the 12 games and practices , plus a shirt and socks .”