Minor soccer season has got underway in earnest with all local teams scheduled to play their first league games this week, although not everything is perfect with regard to the infrastructure.
Barry Yaremcio, president of the Stettler Minor Soccer Association said they were happy that the teams had started the new season with new equipment and jerseys.
But he said the new soccer fields in the town’s brand new sports park had major problems.
“This year we are not using the Waverly soccer field, “ Yaremcio said.
“So the decision was made to shift most of the soccer games to the new sports park, but the soccer fields there do not meet regulation standards.”
The soccer fields in the sports park are not only short by about five inches, but also they are not level.
“According to regulations, one end of the field should not be more than one foot higher than the other end,” said Yaremcio.
But measurements show that there is a steeper slope in both fields, particularly in the southern one.
Yaremcio said there was nothing that could be done until this season was over and games would have to be played under the existing circumstances.
He said he expected the soccer fields to be revamped and reshaped after the end of the regular season.
In the meantime, the soccer field in the West Stettler Park and the one next to the RCMP detachment will continue to be used for home games of the local teams.