THUNDER BAY — High school indoor soccer is back.
Shut down since the Sports Dome collapsed in 2016, organizer Frank Ruberto said they’re taking a slow approach with the sport this time around, hosting a 20-team, four-division event on Wednesday and Thursday at the Tournament Centre.
It’s a chance to reintroduce the sport to Thunder Bay students, with an eye on possibly bringing it back as a varsity sport at some point down the road, pending approval by the Superior Secondary School Athletics Association board.
Most importantly, this week’s tournament is giving high school soccer players a chance to hit the ground running, the never-ending Northern Ontario winter finally starting to show signs of abatement, which means the outdoor season will soon be here.
“In high school, your outdoor season is really three to four weeks. The winning teams that do travel to OFSAA, they’re really at a disadvantage already. They’re playing against teams that have played 15 to 20 games, already,” Ruberto said.
“This is just something that Thunder Bay has always had … I think adding the indoor season is just a huge benefit for us.”
It’s also a chance to separate age groups, Ruberto added.
“In outdoor soccer, it’s a varsity team. That’s a Grade 9 to Grade 12 mix. This gives the grade nines and 10s an opportunity, because they’re playing junior, to play against their age group and gives them a chance to show what they really have and play with a little more confidence,” Ruberto said.
Cohen Micheli, a 16-year-old Grade 10 student at St. Patrick High School, said it’s amazing to be able to wear the green and gold in a meaningful way.
“You get more experience and I’m getting more touches on the ball,” Micheli said.
“It means we don’t have to come in cold. We’ll be warm and know how to move the ball. It’s also a lot smaller area so we’ve got to move the ball better. It also helps our endurance, because we’ve got to run a lot more.”
Championship finals in junior and senior girls and boys divisions are slated for Thursday. Admission is $2 per person.
