Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list ...
Youth soccer in Moose Jaw is seeing a boost in excitement and participation as the World Cup captures the attention of players and families around the world.
Jason Jones, technical director with JJ Soccer, said the global tournament has become a major talking point among young athletes in the local program.
Read more:
- Joy, disbelief for Saskatchewan fans celebrating Canada’s first World Cup victory
- World Cup ticket buyers are left stranded as resale purchases fall through
- Hat trick propels Canada to its first World Cup victory with 6-0 win over Qatar
“Towards the end of the year, we have what we call a World Cup tournament, and all the kids are naming their countries and they’re pretty excited by it,” Jones said. “We’re having a lot of chats about the different teams and countries that are in the World Cup right now.”
Jones said that excitement doesn’t always stop when the tournament ends, noting that major international competitions often have a lasting impact on participation.
“It happens during the World Cup, but then afterwards you’ll see it up to a year, year-and-a-half later where the momentum is just carrying forward,” he said.
“We’re getting a lot of new players into the program, and the excitement builds and people are always asking where they can go to play soccer.”
Inspiration from the world stage
Jones said young players are especially inspired by watching elite athletes compete on the global stage.
“They love watching their heroes play,” he said. “They’re walking around with all their jerseys on and they’re excited and they want to know the game times and who played.”
He added that the tournament also sparks friendly competitions and conversations among teammates.
“There’s always stories to be told at the soccer field about who has what allegiances as to what countries,” Jones said.
“There’s lots of bragging rights on the line for these guys if their countries are winning, and if they’re losing, it’s just hands-on-the-head kind of thing.”
Boost in volunteers and coaching interest
Beyond player enthusiasm, Jones said the World Cup has also helped draw people towards coaching and officiating.
“It’s a big help for us, just because we’ve noticed since COVID there’s been a little bit of a drop-off with coaches and things like that,” he said. “But this year that’s really bounced back.”
He said support from soccer organizations offering free training during the World Cup year has also helped.
“The Canadian Soccer Association is offering some free referee development and free coaches training for the year the World Cup is on,” Jones explained. “That’s brought a lot of people back into the game for us.”
For children inspired by what they see at the World Cup, Jones said his message is simple: give it a try and put in the effort.
“I’m always about people chasing their dreams,” he said.
“You just can’t teach effort. If they have the heart and passion and effort to want to pursue something, then we’re happy to be a step along the way in their journey.”
Jones also pointed to growing enthusiasm for Canada’s men’s team and the international attention surrounding the tournament.
He said conversations among players often reflect support for Canada and anticipation for upcoming matches, along with broader excitement about the World Cup’s global reach as Canada co-hosts the tournament with the United States and Mexico.
“I see more and more people wearing the Canada jersey and I see more and more people out just playing soccer, even recreationally, which is really nice for our community,” he said.
“Sometimes you have to have an organized sport running, but there’s more and more kids out playing with their parents and siblings and stuff like that, and that’s a good sign for the sport in this country.”
