livingfeature
T H E Y M I G H T B E O L D , but they sure aren’t slow. Going strong for almost
SOFA leagues run year-round.
“I always enjoyed
playing soccer
as a kid growing
up and felt that
there should be an
opportunity for us
to carry on playing
soccer as adults.”
26 LETHBRIDGELIVING.COM
25 years now, the Southern Oldtimers Football Association (SOFA) has been a
rallying point for lovers of the beautiful game of soccer in Lethbridge. Growing
from a ragtag bunch of weekend warriors wanting to kick the ball around into a
fully formed league with multiple tournaments each year, SOFA offers an inviting
experience for those wanting to play.
“There was a niche area that wasn’t being serviced back in the early ’90s, so
there was no real place for the recreational soccer player,” explains Bill Halma,
SOFA Vice-president. “Through my job at
the University of Lethbridge I was running
the intramural program and thought, ‘You
know what, I’ll give it a shot’, and that’s
where it started.”
Since soccer is the world’s most popular
sport, it was no surprise that the league
began to grow quickly from a loosely
organized league into a well-run operation.
“I took the lead in organizing things the
first few years. Then of course, like anything,
it became a little more popular and I didn’t
have the time to devote to it,” Bill says. “So
I worked with people like Ian McKenna
and Mary Dyck to get a non-profit society
formed, and that’s where SOFA really came
into being.”
Beginning with an outdoor league at
the old soccer pitch on university grounds,
the league has grown to include indoor
leagues and tournaments as well. This has
given those who love the game a league to
transition into once their younger years are
behind them.
“I always enjoyed playing soccer as a kid growing up and felt that there should
be an opportunity for us to carry on playing soccer as adults,” says Bill. “I really
got started with all this being the Intramural Coordinator back when I was a
student, and now running the recreation program here at the university, I saw an
opportunity for us to develop something and fill a gap.”
I decided to find out just what kind of league this was for myself first-hand.
Having played competitive soccer as a young teenager, and a bit of rec league in
my 20s, I figured I might be able to put the ball in the back of the net once again.
Thankfully, each season has a free agent team for players that are just looking
to join a team without all the hassle of forming one themselves. This made it
quite easy for me to get out and tie up the laces with the indoor mixed Sunday
division at the soccer centre on a cold January afternoon.
After a quick warm-up and introductions, it was kickoff time. The pace was
quick but cordial, and even after I was stepped on with a cleated shoe, my
opponent was quick to help me up and offer his condolences. With a broad mix
of ages, skill levels, and ethnic backgrounds on the field, it’s no wonder that
soccer is the world’s most popular sport.
After the first 25 minute half, between gasps for breath on the bench, I met
Teresa Servano who just got back into the game this winter with SOFA.
MAR-APR 2016