Aurora
August 26, 2008 09:52 AM
Simone Joseph, Staff Writer
Big changes are in store this year for Aurora’s Youth Soccer Club, thanks to a three-year $170,000 Trillium grant, the club’s executive director said.
“This is going to kick soccer up a notch in this community. The next 36 months will be an exciting time here,” Lawrence Janit said.
The funding came from The Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the province. Ontario’s 2008 spring budget boosted the foundation’s annual funding to $110 million from $105 million, which will be further increased to $120 million by 2009/2010.
The club plans to use the funding to boost volunteer recruitment, player development and marketing. The money will also be used to improve coach training, volunteer training and rewards as well as improving communication, helping to make sure parents and coaches get the information they need.
The club has hired a technical director to oversee the development of coaches and players and is in the process of hiring a volunteer co-ordinator to train, recruit and reward volunteers.
The development of coaches and players has traditionally fallen to the volunteer board, made up of people who are not experts in the area, according to Mr. Janit.
The Aurora Youth Soccer Club serves about 4,000 players and has about 600 volunteers.
Go to the club’s website at www.aysc.ca or e-mail info@aysc.ca for more information. For information on the grant, call the club at 905-727-0624, ext. 24.