Making a Difference on the Field

Milton resident Dave Waterman volunteers as a League Coordinator for Milton Town Soccer. He also serves on the board of the organization. He spoke with columnist Julie Fay about the ins and outs of coordinating a league of 500+ players, what soccer does for kids and the benefits for adults, as well.

What do you do with the league?
I’m the coordinator for the seven- and eight-year-old boys’ division. This is my second year as a division coordinator, and I’ve been a coach for three. The board meets eight times a year to maintain the league, review policies and work to keep the league strong.

How do you keep the league strong?
Participation is first and foremost. We look at the numbers and ask if (it looks like) kids want to be in it. We ask how to make the league a better place to be.

What’s an example of a step you’ve taken to improve the league?
This year, we’ve brought in Mass Premier Soccer, a soccer company based in Waltham, to assist with player development. We thought it would be a good way to develop the 5-8 year old soccer players in Milton. They are doing three weekends of clinics with players and coaches.

What’s involved in coordinating a league?
Each of takes the registrations and compiles rosters according to birthdates. Sometimes there are special requests by parents, and we strive for parity as much as possible. You want the teams to be built fairly. Then we develop the schedule. This year, there are eight teams in my division; last year, I had twelve. With eight teams, the math is a lot easier!

We then talk to the volunteer parent coaches. They are generally responsive and eager, and that makes it nice. They reach out to their players and establish contact with parents.

We also have an introductory meeting before the season, when all coaches have to have their CORI (criminal record) forms processed, and we pass out equipment bags for each team.

What about during the season?
We don’t meet too much as a board during the season. We’ll meet online to resolve any issues.

Why is soccer important?
Everyone needs a physical outlet, and soccer is a great sport for that. There’s running, everyone is involved and they’re outside. The kids are expending energy, and it’s fairly safe – soccer is not too physical. Playing helps kids develop a sense of friendship and teamwork. When one person scores a goal, everyone claps and jumps up and down, not just that one person. They also meet other kids from across the town to play, have fun and laugh.

When the players are older, it gets more competitive, but all those things still apply. They still need an outlet and they still need to develop skills. It’s more serious, and they have to practice hard and play hard. When they’re younger, they giggle more.

Why do you do it?
I love the game, having played since I was a kid. One nice thing is meeting the other parents and players. There’s a social aspect for adults, which is a nice throw-in as well.

Milton is a great sports town, and I think soccer is untapped right now. There are a lot of families in town who like soccer, and the kids respond in the clinics and in league play itself. It’s a worthwhile venture on all our parts.

For more information about Milton Town Soccer, visit www.miltontownsoccer.org.