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Continue soccer legacy started by Mike Zimmerman

July 21, 2013
Editor:
Dave Uphoff
Seven years ago Mike Zimmerman formed the MidState Stars Soccer Club. During its existence, the team consisting of area high school players, competed against college level and amateur soccer teams at the New Millennia Park soccer field. Mike's soccer program gave low income and single parent families an opportunity for their children to play a sport they loved. His soccer program enabled his players to get scholarships and financial support from colleges that recruited his players for their soccer program.

This past week Mike announced he is retiring from soccer and is dissolving the MidState Stars Soccer Club. We commend Mike for his dedication and hard work to provide soccer for the Minonk area. His program not only helped his players get into college but it also helped develop confidence and maturity in his players. He should be proud of his accomplishments and we tip our hat to him for his contributions.

The New Millennia Park in Minonk is one of the few towns in the area to have a soccer field. It would be a shame not to continue to use this soccer field. One of Mike's goals was to have Fieldcrest and other area high schools adopt soccer as an official athletic program, but his efforts have been in vain.

The Fieldcrest Board of Education should seriously consider adding soccer to its athletic program and dropping football. There are many reasons why this makes sense. Anyone who has researched the subject knows the dangers head injuries pose to football players. This is especially true among young players who are not yet fully developed. More than a few Minonk football players have suffered life-long injuries from playing football.

Secondly, football is an expensive program requiring special equipment not required by soccer. With the ever increasing cost in our education program, it makes sense to cut expenses when possible. The fact that football generates revenue is not a valid rebuttal. In reality it is a form of entertainment for the community. The benefits from entertaining the community do not offset the risk of injuries to our young.

As Mike Zimmerman's program has shown, a soccer program will more likely generate a scholarship for a player than will a football program. Initially, a soccer program at Fieldcrest may have to be intramural, which is fine, as it gives more students an opportunity to play. As the soccer program becomes popular other schools will also adopt soccer.

The biggest hurdle to replacing football with soccer is tradition. However, "Win one for the Gipper" is no longer relevant. It is replaced with, "Out with the old, in with the new". Soccer is a world-wide sport and is part of the athletic program at most elite educational institutions. To adopt soccer over football will not only save money and reduce injuries, but will give Fieldcrest the distinction of leading the way for other schools to adopt an increasingly popular sport. If Fieldcrest needs a soccer coach, Mike Zimmerman would be a great candidate.

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