Instead of ricocheting the ball off the wall, into the bleachers, or getting anything but an ideal bounce off the glistening hardwood floor, players young and old, will play on one of three artificial grass pitches in the club’s new indoor facility, located at 3413 Wolfedale Rd.
Offering 17,580-sq.-ft. of playing surfaces, together with 9,000-sq.-ft of space for change rooms, washrooms, reception area and offices, the air conditioned facility has been completed within a $1-million budget.
The Mississauga Soccer Club now joins the Erin Mills Soccer Club with the only indoor soccer facilities in the city, to go along with the Hershey SportZone.
“We needed a facility to address the needs of the club and the community to provide an indoor program year-round at the house league level and at the rep league level for player development,” said club president Joe Martino, who added the facility will also be used “to keep coaches up to speed,” with clinics.
Boasting a club membership of 3,000, Martino envisions 1,000 members ranging from four-year-olds up to adults, making use of the facility.
Martino is contemplating having two sessions in the winter. One from October through Christmas, and a second session through to the end of March.
Should 1,000 players register, that would translate into a game a week for each of the 100 teams comprised of 10 players.
Many of the club’s rep teams will continue to play at the Hershey Sport Zone where all six of the city’s clubs participate in an indoor rep league.
“In our days we had nothing like this and there was always a lack of available gyms,” said Martino. “We didn’t control our own destinies.
“Now we will be in a controlled environment that caters to soccer and not on hard boards. It will benefit the young kids by leaps and bounds.”
The club also has plans to rent out the facility for birthday and company soccer parties, while there is also the possibility of opening the centre up for lacrosse, ball hockey, even a fitness centre.
One of the first tests after the club’s official opening in early August, will be the final field day for the club’s 4-5 year-olds on August 23.
dwiner@mississauga.net
