Despite the U.S. failure to qualify for the World Cup, the beautiful game of soccer is becoming more popular in this country. It’s also become an attraction throughout Utah.
Salt Lake City now has three professional soccer teams, Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake, its youth development side, the Real Monarchs and the recently added women’s outfit, the Utah Royals FC.
In Price a soccer camp was held at the Fairgrounds Soccer Complex recently. Mitch Bickmore, a license A coach and certified soccer instructor, was in charge.
“Three years ago Price didn’t have any teams and you had to go over the mountain to Spanish Fork, because there were no fields to play on,” he said.
Now there’s soccer for all ages and abilities. From 5- and 6-year-olds through high school boys, and from beginner to intermediate to advanced.
“Price has seven comp[traveling] teams as well as all the rec teams,” according to Carbon County Recreation employee Tracy Brady. “The Under-13 boys took second in their division. The U14 girls took fourth,” she added.
Tournament Coordinator Crystal Barraclough disputes the notion the new soccer fields are not being used and were somehow money not well-spent.
“Don’t know why they complain, it’s for the children. We’re excited, this is awesome,” she exclaimed.
“We’re gonna have floodlights for night games,” Brady added.
Back at the World Cup, soccer’s main stage in Russia this year, the quarterfinals begin Friday. Here in Price, Voltage FC hosts it’s first 3V3 tournament Saturday.
Soccer camp, new fields show sport’s growing popularity
Mitch Bickmore, in the red shirt far left, held a soccer camp last weekend. New soccer fields and a bigger effort to promote the sport locally follows a nationwide trend.