Beyond the fun, fueled by a glitzy gala awards night at the River Rock Show Theatre on April 6, the Richmond Girls Soccer Association is celebrating a fundamental change in the way it approaches the sport by developing more than just skills on the pitch.
“We canvassed our membership, asking them what they were looking for and we quickly came to realize that, yes, we’re about soccer, but it’s also about developing the kids as human beings, future citizens and leaders,” said association chair Mandhir Punia.
With that focus, the club, which has been in existence since 1974, started implementing volunteer opportunities for the players.
Some of the local groups benefitting from that included the annual Windows of Hope event at the Richmond Auto Mall, which supports the Richmond Christmas Fund.
They also took part in community food and toy drives and set up donation events that sent second-hand soccer equipment to countries in need across the world.
“We wanted them to start giving back to the community, as well as provide the opportunity to further their education in a post-secondary setting while playing a sport,” Punia said.
“So, we set up showcase tournaments and other pathways for the girls to not just be soccer players and get to the highest levels, but explore other educational opportunities.
“And the players and coaches have come a long way in helping us realize that vision and this (gala) was a chance to recognize everybody and what they’ve done.”
One of the knock-on effects of the club’s shift in philosophy was the fact some of the older and past players have returned to help coach the younger girls.
“It’s really been about creating that family aspect within the club,” Punia said, adding the feedback for the gala component was overwhelmingly positive.
“The girls had an absolute blast,” Punia said. “It was a huge success because they realized that night was all about them. They were just ecstatic.”
Based on how the gala went, plans are to make it an annual event.
“The players, they are our future,” Punia said. “And we have a responsibility as coaches and leaders to provide them with every opportunity to be the best they can be on and off the field.”
