Weyburn soccer coach Tyler Hillstead was named Volunteer of the Year, chosen by the Saskatchewan Soccer Association. This is is a provincial award to given to the recipient that went above and beyond.
Hillstead is a board member with the Weyburn Soccer Association, and is responsible for bringing in a junior referee mentorship program to educate young refs in Weyburn. Also in the past year, Tyler researched and developed an All Abilities program for people with disabilities.
This program is designed for everyone to have a chance to play soccer. The program’s aim is to have a 1:1 ratio of volunteer to participant so that no one is left on the sideline. The All Abilities program this past winter saw the local athletes perform drills, small games and they even had a scrimmage with JJ's Soccer Academy from Moose Jaw.
“This is just to name a few of the contributions Tyler has made to the game of soccer and was well deserving the title of Saskatchewan Soccer Association’s Volunteer of the Year. As president of WSA, I couldn't be prouder of the work he has accomplished and am looking forward to what he will bring in the future,” said Jason Roy, president of the Weyburn Soccer Association.
Meantime, the WSA was excited to receive news from the Provincial Government with the announcement of the June 22nd Phase 4.1 date. Although Phase 4.1 includes outdoor sports, the soccer association is still steps away from getting back to the pitch.
“Weyburn Soccer will always put the safety of our members first and will not be jumping into things full swing. With collaboration of Saskatchewan Soccer and Canada Soccer and governing bodies, WSA is developing a mandatory Return to Soccer Plan that needs to be reviewed and approved by Canada Soccer. This plan will be implemented slowly in phases,” explained Roy.
“We are not only following the guidelines set by Canada Soccer and Saskatchewan Soccer Association, we are also following the guidelines set by the City of Weyburn for usage of the parks,” he added. “Unfortunately with this we still don’t have a timeline when we will see soccer resume.”
Roy noted that WSA is always looking for new coaches, and suggested this is the perfect time to get educated. All coaching clinics are done online so if anyone is looking to start or upgrade, visit their web page at www.weyburnsoccer.com or email weyburnsoccer@sasktel.net for more information.
Volunteers of all ages are always welcomed. Whether you have soccer knowledge or not, there is a spot for everyone.
“This is your chance to give back to your community. With programs from our youth soccer, All Abilities, and referees, to name a few, we will provide or direct you for the right clinic. This will give you the tools and confidence in an area you would like to help out,” said Roy.
