Kids Play Soccer at Field of Dreams
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Ferndale 115 News, Oct. 10, 2010)
Soccer is a popular sport in Ferndale, and the Recreation Department has been giving kids the opportunity to play since at least the mid 1980s. There are currently 16 teams in Ferndale with a total of 130 players. The teams play against each other as well as teams from Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge and Hazel Park.
The Little Kickers league is for toddlers through three years old. Then there are teams for Under 6, Under 8, and Under 10. The coaches and referees are volunteers, mainly parents.
Jill Stricker of Ferndale Recreation organizes the league and does the scheduling for all area teams. The youngsters have practice 1-2 times per week and games are typically held on Saturdays and occasional evenings at the Dream Field in Martin Road Park.
The Field was the dream of long time Ferndale resident Nelson House, who started the original Dream Cruise to fund the soccer fields for the kids. To read about the origins of the Field and the Dream Cruise, check out our previous article – https://oaklandcounty115.com/2010/08/16/nelsonhouse/.
Earlier this week a Ferndale 115 News photographer caught several teams playing, including the Ferndale Recreation Tigers, the Ferndale Red Robins, the Oak Park Cardinals and the Oak Park Dragons.
There is a small fee for youngsters to join. Leagues play in the fall and the spring, and the fall program wraps up next week.
For more information about soccer and other programs offered by the Ferndale Recreation Department, go to http://www.ferndalerecreation.org.
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