A Message from the ASA President, Dan Village:

July 21, 2008

Hello All,

First and foremost, I’d like to thank Brad Nicholl for his years of service as our club’s president, leading us through some innovative times and periods of change that saw us become leaders in the province and, indeed, our country, in how soccer clubs can be run. It is reassuring to me that he is remaining on our executive as a very active member of some critical committees that will impact both the boys and girls of our association. If ever there was a ‘tough follow’ as president, Brad is it. Please be patient with me as I begin to learn the ropes of this new position and fill the large shoes Brad has left.

I would also like to recognize the continuing hard work of the other members of the executive who have stepped up to take on some of the many things that Brad did as our leader. Without the dedication of these volunteers, the club would not be running as smoothly as it does. In the weeks to come, I will endeavour to introduce you to these individuals and outline the work they do. As I delve deeper into the many different facets of our club, I see more and more names of dedicated volunteers offering up their time so our kids can enjoy a positive soccer experience.

For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve been involved with the Abbotsford Soccer Association for over sixteen years as a coach, referee, referee and field coordinator, volunteer, parent, and executive member. My wife, Heidi, and I have coached at the girls’ house level for the past few years. I work as an elementary school principal in the Abbotsford School District and we have been residents of this community for over twenty years. All three of our children have gone through the association playing at all levels the club has to offer.

Over the past number of years, our club has grown and started to widen its scope of service. The minis program continues to develop, a small spring league has sprouted wings, a number of adult teams are now affiliated with the club, we have the Y League, PDL, and, of course, the grassroots recreational and development programs. Ensuring all these groups are serviced properly is a huge job requiring hours of coordination, paperwork, and organization regarding registration, fields, officials, volunteers and coaches.

As an association, we have a huge potential to meet the needs of soccer enthusiasts of all ages. Ours is one of the few clubs that offers opportunities for players from U6 to U60. Open communication will be an essential ingredient as we continue to grow and develop as a club. With that in mind, my goal is to offer up a weekly update of all things ‘soccer’ in Abbotsford. From fields to officials, teams to volunteers, I’ll share my thoughts with you and hope that you will share your thoughts with me. Together, we can continue to support the many successes of the past and continue to build a club that will offer opportunities to players of all ages and abilities to play the best game in the world.

In the weeks to come, I hope to address a number of issues, questions I have, goals we may want to shoot for, and brag about the wonderful things happening in our club. I would also request of you your thoughts, comments, concerns, and possible solutions to some of the issues you see as our club heads into another fall/winter season of play.

Please email me at president@abbotsfordsoccer.com with your input and I’ll work to find the answer by next Monday’s update.

Thanks to all for your continued support of our club.

Dan