Soccer season for close to 400 children in Weyburn started on Monday evening at Jubilee Park.

Kathy Uytterhagen, president of the Weyburn Minor Soccer Association, said the number of soccer players is slightly down this year, although registrations were being taken right up until Friday.

This year, the Minor Soccer Association is beginning a few new programs, including giving out coaches' handbooks that detail what's to be done during practices and suggestions on training players. The handbooks are separated by division.

The association also held a coaching clinic on Sunday for roughly 60 people at Jubilee Park.

Besides house teams that will just play each other, the association has several traveling teams this year, including an under 12 mixed squad, an under 14 squad, an under 16 boys' team and an under 18 girls' team, the Red Devils.

The Red Devils begin their season with a Mother's Day tournament on Saturday, May 8, at Jubilee Park.

The association will be putting on a community coaches youth clinic, for parents looking to get their coaching certificates, on May 14-16 at Jubilee Park. Anyone interested in registering may contact Scott Benning or Uytterhagen.

The month of May will also see tryouts for the Zone 1 team competing in the 2004 Saskatchewan Summer Games, to be held in Weyburn Aug. 8-14.

Soccer is held Monday through Thursday at Jubilee Park.