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The origin of a minor soccer program in Bracebridge can
be traced back to 1975, when a high school teacher
convinced a couple of university students to coach a
newly formed boys soccer team. That first summer, the
new team ventured as far as Gravenhurst to play games.
Soccer
had first been introduced to the community through the
high school physical education program some years
earlier, and it was a group of teachers that spearheaded
the formation of the initial minor soccer organization,
and developed a solid house league program for the youth
of the community during the 1980’s.
The
surge in popularity of soccer began to really take hold
in Bracebridge over the past five years. In 1995, there
were 228 players registered in Bracebridge Minor Soccer.
With an increased emphasis on promoting the game and
developing a strong coaching program, the numbers grew
dramatically, surpassing 500 players by 1997.
In
late 1997, the current Bracebridge Soccer organization
was formed to combine the local adult teams with the
minor program, and last year there about 625 youth
players and another 125 adult players registered. Not
surprisingly, the availability of adequate soccer fields
was lagging behind the demand.
In
1999, the addition of two new fields, at a temporary
location, allowed soccer to continue to grow. Almost 700
children registered in the House League program, and an
additional 125 young people played on 8 competitive
teams playing in the Simcoe County League. With the
competitive and recreational adult teams, there were
close to 900 players in Bracebridge Soccer programs this
year.
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