Staff Reports

More than 75 people Thursday met with organizers of the Madison Area Youth Soccer Association (MAYSA) as the group attempts to organize several expanded local recreational teams to compete with other recreation departments affiliated the Georgia Youth Soccer Association (GYSA).
   

“This is the launch of a new  soccer club,” said organizer Jamie Williams. “One of the reasons soccer is so popular is it’s not expensive. It’s getting bigger and bigger in America and it’s getting bigger and bigger in Morgan County.”
   

The group is hoping to register three to four teams that will compete with other GYSA–sanctioned teams in the east Atlanta region. Williams said the group was working with the Morgan County Recreation Department to encourage participation in both recreation teams and MAYSA teams. Eventually, she said, the group hopes to rise to the select level of local soccer teams that would include try–outs for team positions.
   

Affiliation with the GYSA includes certifying local coaches and playing games with certified GYSA referees. MAYSA will play games on weekends to accommodate field availability. “We’ll have a well–rounded, practice–based approach. Practice is as important, if not more so, than playing games.”
   

Williams said currently several local players are traveling out of town to participate on select teams in Athens and Rockdale County. Currently, she said, older players are “forced to travel out of town” in the fall to play. “We’re going to try and keep our players here and off the roads.”
   

Williams said she hopes formation of the group leads to improved middle and high school play.
   

Registration with the MAYSA Madison Storm teams is $95. For more information on the league, contact Williams at 706 752–1108.