Oceanside Lions Football Club is inviting youngsters aged nine to 13 to give football a try.
The Lions’ system is designed to allow children who have never played before to join the teams and to learn from scratch, in a welcoming and safe environment.
“Football can be intimidating for kids,” said Adam Charron, head coach of the Lions peewee team. “They see it on TV and don’t always understand what’s going on. At this level, we teach safety first and our focus is not just on the sport, but on helping the kids grow into responsible and healthy teens. As coaches, we want to win games, but believe that it’s more important to create leaders within a fun learning environment, giving them a chance to excel.”
The club practices on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in Parksville and is open to players from Nanoose Bay to Bowser.
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Improved health, discipline, teamwork, leadership and fun are just some of the benefits children experience playing football.
“Every kid is a little nervous at first, mainly because they see other kids playing football and think that they’re already behind,” said Michael Pedersen, peewee team caoch. “As coaches, we ensure that every child feels welcome and don’t feel overwhelmed. My nine-year-old joined this year and had the same feelings. He’s quickly making buddies and understanding the fundamentals. It doesn’t take long before they start feeling like they belong and once they play a game or two, they fall in love with the sport.
Club president Colleen Wardstrom Rai said “Oceanside Lions Football is more than sport, we’re family.”
If your child is looking for a new experience visit https://www.oceansideyouthfootball.ca/
— NEWS Staff