North Bay soccer club shuts down after 50 years
It’s the end of an era for a well-known North Bay soccer club.
The North Bay Youth Soccer Club is shutting down, citing board member fatigue and a dwindling number of kids taking part as two big reasons.
Founded in the early 1970s, in its heyday the youth soccer club had more than 1,000 players. However, it took a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic and then shifted focus to run programs only for kids ages 3 to U8.
“There's that challenge of keeping young people playing in a particular sport,” said club head coach Paul Cook.
“The numbers the last few years have been pretty low because of the fact we limited it to 3 to U8."
Les Wilkinson, vice-president of Sport North Bay, was one of the volunteers who started the club in 1972.
“Four years ago there was an attempt to join the four soccer clubs in North Bay into one club,” Wilkinson said in an email.
The North Bay Youth Soccer Club is shutting down, citing board member fatigue and a dwindling number of kids taking part as two big reasons. (File)
“North Bay Youth chose not to join but the other three clubs did join and formed the Nipissing District Soccer Club and this arrangement has worked well.”
Throughout the club’s history, several players went on to play at the professional, university and college levels. Others continued to sponsor, coach or officiate.
Nipissing Lakers Women’s Soccer head coach David Bitonti recalls playing in the league when he was four years old. It introduced him to coaching and refereeing soccer.
"When you love the sport, you get out to play. It opened a few doors, not just in terms of skills development as a player, but getting into coaching at 17 years old,” Bitonti said.
“It opened that pathway for me now 30-something years later. It was sad to hear knowing the fond memories I had.”
Bitonti said Lakers’ women’s players in the past would get involved with the soccer club’s yearly youth jamboree.
“There was that excitement around soccer that youth soccer has created in North Bay for many years,” Bitonti said.
“We’re sad to see that go but we’re hoping we can continue to create that link between the community and Lakers soccer.”
The North Bay Youth Soccer Club is shutting down, citing board member fatigue and a dwindling number of kids taking part as two big reasons. (Photo from video)
Fred Juett, at the Ottawa Internationals Soccer Club, said he has great memories playing in the various leagues growing up in North Bay.
“I was blessed to have had so many great coaches and played with and against many great players,” Juett said.
“Siggi Siepmann was a mentor and coach that helped in my development immensely and I carried that forward into my professional career … The organization enabled kids to have a fun place to play in a safe and well-organized environment.”
Not all hope is lost for young soccer players in the area. The Nipissing District Soccer Club still runs soccer programs and registration is open now.
“Although we're stepping aside, we know that young people can still play soccer in the community and we wish them well as they continue to run leagues for soccer,” Cook said.
Some advantages
“The joining of the two youth sections in North Bay will allow the much easier movement of players between the two levels of play, especially when competitive teams are short of players because of injury or vacation,” Wilkinson added.
“In the long run, I believe the joining will be advantageous to the continued development of the game in Nipissing District.”
Over the years, the youth soccer club raised money to support several organizations and facilities. Cook recalls a $60,000 donation made to the turf field at Nipissing University and a $500,000 contribution made to the Steve Omischl Sports Complex.
The club also supported the West Ferris Trojan Alumni Complex and worked with city officials each season to develop and maintain the soccer fields.
“We do have some money that we will be dispersing in the community,” Cook said.
“We're waiting for our year-end audit to determine how much and where that money will go."
o Download our app to get local alerts on your device
o Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
As the original soccer club prepares to say goodbye, it's hoping it has left a legacy that will keep the ball rolling and The Beautiful Game alive in the area.
“Without the foundation of the youth club, I don’t know where the other club would have launched itself,” Bitonti said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6979388.1722030190!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Celine Dion delivers stirring comeback performance at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Against the rainy Paris night sky, Celine Dion staged the comeback of her career with a powerful performance from the Eiffel Tower to open the Olympic Games.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before Jasper can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes "for several weeks."
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
Turpel-Lafond won't sue CBC over Cree heritage report that took 'heavy toll': lawyer
The lawyer for a former judge whose claims to be Cree were questioned in a CBC investigation says his client is not considering legal action against the broadcaster after the Law Society of British Columbia this week backed her claims of Indigenous heritage.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn for $146,000 water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six figure water bill.
Health Canada warns some naloxone kits contain false instructions
Health Canada is warning some take-home naloxone kits come with bad instructions that should be ignored in favour of the correct guidance.
Paris dazzles with a rainy Olympics opening ceremony on the Seine River
Celebrating its reputation as a cradle of revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in a century on Friday with a rain-soaked, rule-breaking opening ceremony studded with stars and fantasy along the Seine River.