Growing soccer programs revive talks of an indoor facility

Soccer programs are growing rapidly in Steinbach, and the Hanover Soccer Club continues to dream about an indoor facility to allow year-round programming. 

Board Chair Brian Froese says soccer registration is strong, for all ages. 

“There are programs currently that exist, that play in the school gyms in the way of futsal and they're bursting at the seams. We've never had more registrations and even had to turn kids away and a lot of that is due to the fact that there is no gym space available.” 

The Hanover Soccer Club is getting teams organized for the spring season.

Around 500 children are already registered for spring soccer programs for U4 to U18. The club also runs four men's teams. 

“We don’t have enough facilities to be able to execute programs. Look to Winnipeg, look to Winkler even, Brandon, they all have indoor turf facilities, and Steinbach, the third largest city in the province, does not.” 

Froese says the club hopes to continue to grow the sport but says there needs to be enough space to play, not just in spring and summer, but also during the winter months. 

“Soccer here is Steinbach and the Southeast is the largest sport by almost double if not more than that, in terms of registration. So, we do have a pretty big impact.” 

This is not the first time the club has talked about an indoor soccer facility. 

Back in 2014, Norm Anderson approached city council to pitch the idea of a full size, indoor, artificial turf soccer field with an air-supported dome. 

At that time, Anderson reported there were 75 soccer teams and 770 players using the soccer facility, with around 1,200 people at the soccer park on any given night.

The Steinbach Soccer Park is a busy place during soccer season.

While an indoor facility has not come to fruition, Anderson says the soccer program keeps growing. 

“The club is in a great position, we’ve got terrific fields, a great place to play,” says Anderson. “We just need an indoor facility now to make it a year-round program.” 

Froese is the new chair of the Hanover Soccer Club, and he says an indoor facility is something the board will continue to explore. 

-With files from Michelle Sawatzky, Dave Anthony