A Community-Driven Soccer Initiative
As a longtime soccer mom, youth coach, and sports enthusiast, Kristelle Coggins recognized a gap in the Sanford community. Inspired by her passion for the sport, she took action to fill that need. Recently, Coggins launched the Sanford Soccer Club (SSC), which has just completed its fifth week of games in its inaugural six-week fall season at Woodside Park in Hope Township. She is thrilled with the early success.
“I enjoy seeing how many people are out here to support it—grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles. Right over here, there were some cousins with little pom-pons, cheering. It was so cute,” Coggins shared on Saturday after the day’s games concluded.
She also noted the positive impact beyond the field. “After the games, I see people picking up their chairs and then going over and spending time at the park with their families. That’s really endearing.”
Building a Foundation for Young Athletes
In its first season, the SSC features six teams of boys and girls aged three to nine. Coggins aims to expand the program when the club returns in the spring. Her motivation stems from personal experience. “My daughter played college soccer when we lived in Birch Run, and now three of my four kids and I live here. My daughter noticed, ‘Oh, they don’t have soccer in high school (at Meridian),’ so I said, ‘Well, we’ve got to get that started.’”
She added, “We’ve been talking about it for a couple of years. When I was putting the feelers out, I’d say we had 100 families respond. We’ve got 60 kids involved right now, and I anticipate there being more in the spring.”
A Growing Interest in Local Sports
Adam Gulvas, whose son plays for the SSC, praised the initiative. “They’re just getting it started, so it’ll be nice once they get more kids coming out. But I give a lot of credit to Mrs. Coggins and her family for getting this started. It’s nice that all the kids from the Sanford community get to play together instead of running over to Midland or anywhere else.”
Gulvas, who previously had his children playing in Midland, believes the local effort is a positive step. “It’s been really good. My son and my daughter both played in Midland last year, which is a great league, but I was hoping they’d get something started over here because there’s definitely a lot of interest.”
He added, “I thought eventually it would. Youth sports is growing, so it was probably just a matter of time. It just took somebody to kind of take the reins and get it started.”
Overcoming Challenges to Launch the Program
Starting the SSC was not without its challenges. Coggins explained that the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) is based in California, and the closest representative was in Illinois when she began the process. “It was quite a big process. Sanford Youth Sports didn’t take it on, so I had to build the whole domain, which took me a little longer. I didn’t have anyone close by to help me out.”
She relied on virtual communication, FaceTiming with AYSO representatives over the summer. “I had to do this on my own,” she admitted.
Another hurdle was finding enough coaches. “The struggle was finding coaches. We’ve coached sports since my kids were little in Birch Run—basketball, wrestling, volleyball, baseball, football. We’ve coached it all. Now, we’re doing it again as grandparents.”
“In soccer, we have fewer kids on a team, so we need more coaches. That’s been my biggest struggle so far,” she added. “I had one person volunteer other than myself and my daughter, so I had to really ask and beg people to do it.”
Positive Impact on the Community
Gulvas believes the effort is paying off. “For the first year, I think it’s great. They’ve got a concession stand over here now and a variety of age groups. For the first year, I think they’re doing a great job.”
He emphasized the importance of early involvement in sports. “I just think it’s great for the kids’ coordination. I played sports when I was a kid. I’m more of a football guy myself, but I think for youth to get started in sports—whether it’s tee ball or soccer or whatever—I think it’s great to get them interested in sports, a little competitiveness.”
Looking Ahead
Coggins is already planning for the future. With the help of a $1,500 grant from AYSO, she hopes to expand the SSC to include older age divisions with larger nets in the spring. Currently, the club uses miniature, portable nets that she purchased herself.
When asked if she envisions soccer becoming a varsity sport at Meridian High School, Coggins responded, “That’s what we’re hoping for. That’s the goal. Usually, when you build, you build from the bottom up—build a strong foundation and go from there.”
