Editorial

Good luck to UNK's new womens soccer program

Friday, August 15, 2008

The University of Nebraska at Kearney's nascent women's soccer team is facing an uphill battle, but we have to wish it all the best.

UNK will become the 11th school in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference to sponsor women's soccer.

The school hopes to fill the head coaching position by December and have its first game a year from now.

"We anticipate UNK womens soccer to be extremely popular right from the first kick," said Jon McBride, UNK Athletic Director.

"Soccer was the only championship sport sponsored by the NSAA not previously offered by UNK. Many of the top feeder high schools to UNK already have girls soccer programs. It's a championship sport sponsored by the RMAC, so it just makes a lot of sense to add the sport at this time."

McBride said there were no plans to add a men's soccer team anytime soon.

High school soccer is popular in other parts of the state, but there's an unfortunate gap in the McCook area.

While the local YMCA's soccer program draws upwards of 200 boys and girls each year, it ends at high school, when traditional sports take over.

A co-ed traveling club team for high school-age players got started last spring, but McCook already has a number of well-established sports competing for a finite number of athletes and financial support.

Still, it would be nice if talented local girls were able to stay active in the sport long enough to attract attention from Kearney's new soccer program.

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