Deerfield Beach neighborhood parks are full of soccer activity as the City of Deerfield Recreation Youth Soccer League gets underway. The coed league boasts 28 teams in four age divisions, more than 400 athletes ages 4 to 15, and 16 games played for each team during the December through March season.
Practices and games take place at the Middle School Athletic Complex, Quiet Waters Athletic Park and Westside Park. Deerfield’s Park and Recreation Department coordinates and sponsors a wide variety of youth and adult activities throughout the city’s 30 park and facility locations.
Parks and Recreation Supervisor Blaise Leone and his staff have their priorities well established for every youth activity.
“This is all about having fun, getting some exercise and learning all about sportsmanship,” Leone said. “At the end of the season every child receives a trophy and on the last day we feature a parents’ game… which is very popular. It is the parents’ opportunity to leave their chairs on the sideline and become superstars.”
In a recent senior division game at Quiet Waters Athletic Field, teams Fusion and Sporting KC got an opportunity to showcase their practiced talents at the halfway point of the schedule. Sporting KC prevailed 3-1 in a close match and improved their record to 5-3. The Fusion’s record dropped to 5-3 and the team went from first place in the division into a second place tie with Sporting KC.
In the first half of the game, Sporting KC struck first on a breakaway goal by Casey Proia from 15 yards out. The Fusion’s Tristan Rodriguez converted off an assist from teammate Jon Rodrigues to knot up the game at halftime. Sporting KC striker Matthew Hicks converted on the eventual game winner for a 2-1 lead. Ethan Cecil hit the last goal for Sporting KC.
Sporting KC Coach Paul Proia has been at the coaching reigns for seven years with baseball and soccer in Deerfield Beach.
“For us this is a very friendly competition and it is truly about the kids having a lot of fun and learning,” Proia said. “The kids are figuring out teamwork and are starting to center the ball and that is why they have won five out of the last six games. All the players know each other from playing baseball and are buddies…”
Hicks plays multiple sports, including his favorites of football, lacrosse and soccer, and attends Saint Joan of Arc Catholic School in Boca Raton.
“The best part is being out here with all my friends and just having fun with them,” Hicks said. “My goal is to score a lot of goals, have teamwork and pass the ball so my teammates can score. I like getting assists and we really communicated well in this game.”
