Roundballer players hit with yellow card as City shuts down Lakeside for two week rest
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Right when the roundballers thought the season was a foot, the City of Nelson tossed a monkey wrench into the mix by closing the fields for two weeks.
Barry Turner of the City of Nelson informed the Regional District of Central Kootenay booking officials Friday of his decision to give the soccer pitches rest.
“The fields will be close for two weeks, Monday through Friday,” said a RDCK spokesperson. “Fields will re-open during the weekend, Saturday and Sunday.”
Soccer players, young and old, have been running in quicksand for the start of the 2011 season.
A colder than normal spring, plagued by days of rain and inclement weather, put the growing season back weeks.
The result left Lakeside Soccer Pitches in rough shape, especially following the opening weekend of the year May 7-8 when close to 20 female rep teams participated in the Terry Walgren Memorial Rep Soccer Tournament.
Those games, combined with the start of adult leagues and the Nelson Youth Soccer Rep and House programs, put an awful lot of stress on the pitches.
The closure, however, does not affect the Lakeside Ball Diamonds, where the Nelson Slopitch League continues to function nightly.
Nelson Youth Soccer holds games and practices during the week at Lakeside. The association also runs games Saturday.
Nelson City Soccer follows most nights with adult rec leagues.
The closure affects 900-plus youth players and more than 200 adult players.
