Cordell Recreational Soccer Club gets ready to start the season

Are you looking to get your child up and active this fall? Well, you’re in luck! The Cordell Recreational Soccer Club has begun taking sign-ups for this year’s teams.

Children born between the years 2008 and 2017 will get the opportunity to join a team after sign-ups have been completed.

This month, parents or guardians will have the chance to sign up their child to the club as in-person registrations have opened up again at the Cordell OSU Extension Office with online registrations being an option too.

As it stands, those born between 2016 and 2017 will play all of their games in Cordell while the remaining players will play eight games over four weekends in Weatherford, Elk City, and twice in Clinton.

The registration fee to join the club is $50 and uniforms are included with the fee. All players will need a pair of shin guards for practices and games as well as a size 3 or 4 soccer ball for U6-U8 and U10-U12 players respectively.

The club is currently set up in a festival-style of soccer to accommodate parents who have players on multiple teams. This means that now, two games are played per scheduled weekend in the same locations to help ease the traveling burden according to club board member Tarra Harrison.

“We strive to encourage a family-oriented atmosphere within our club. We all try to take care of each other and pitch in where it is needed,” Harrison said. “If a family cannot afford to register their child, we work with people within the club as well as some businesses in town to help sponsor that child’s registration.”

Harrison said that player numbers are not all that high due to COVID as well as the availability of other recreational sports, however, she is hopeful that sign-ups will increase this year and said the board is ready to figure out ways to get more games if there is an interest in amongst kids older than 13 wanting to join in as well.

“We are entering back into district play after three seasons,” Harrison said. “We are hopeful our numbers will bounce back to pre-Covid numbers but only time will tell.”

When speaking on the benefits of playing the sport, Harrison looks towards those who have played in the club in past years.

“There have been many success stories come out of our club in the last 10 years. Several children have moved on into competitive soccer,” Harrison said. “Even more have come back with stories that their child has blossomed in their social interactions with peers their age.”

The benefits do not stop there, as Harrison also looks to the life skills that members of the club can learn as well.

“Players in our club will learn what it is like to work as a team as well as how to accept constructive criticism. Players will learn that every job on the team is equally important as the next players. They will be held accountable for their actions, positive or negative,” Harrison said. “Ultimately, we are teaching life skills like a family would naturally do. We strive to make sure all players have an equal opportunity. It’s just an all-around great program.”

Having first started in the 70s by board members such as Dave Bryant, Louis Carli, and Dennis Vermillion, the soccer club is now run by six different board members including Jennifer Fuller, Kyle Baker, Lisa Holland, Dalton Holland, Martin Vela, and Harrison.

For those interested in joining the club, in-person registrations will take place this month on the 16, 20, and 22 at the Washita County OSU Extension Office.

Online registrations are open all day until August 23 and the link to register can be found on the Cordell Rec Soccer Facebook page.

If you require more assistance, you can contact either board member Harrison at 580-660-5195 or Fuller at 580-660-6218.