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CAROLINE COUNTY – Caroline County middle schoolers will have a new reason to lace up their cleats this Fall. Thanks to the work of dedicated volunteers and the facilitation of the Caroline County Family YMCA, try-outs have begun for the county’s first official middle school soccer program.
“According to the school, this is the first official middle school soccer team at Colonel Richardson,” said Daniel Mulford, who is overseeing the Colonel program. “In fact, many schools across the Eastern Shore don’t have middle school soccer programs at all, which makes this an even more exciting and meaningful step for our community.”
The idea began with Mulford, Doug McHenry, and Todd Endzel. Mulford had previously helped establish Easton’s middle school soccer team, so he approached the YMCA to partner on the project. The YMCA has taken on the oversight and organization of the program, offering their expertise with registration, uniforms, insurance, and game scheduling.
Emily Glover, Operations Coordinator at the Caroline County Family YMCA, said the new program aligns with a larger mission, “This year, one of our goals at the YMCA has been to provide additional athletic opportunities to the middle school-aged youth in Caroline County. We have been facilitating a competitive basketball program for boys and girls at both Lockerman and Colonel Richardson Middle Schools for the past eight years.” She said the YMCA is excited to add middle school soccer to its repertoire.
The program will feature both boys’ and girls’ teams at each school. Players will compete in a total of eight games - four home and four away - against other local middle schools like Easton, St. Michaels, and St. Peter and Paul. “Our home games will be played either on Colonel Richardson High School’s main field or on the field at the middle school we are ‘building,’” Mulford explained. “Games are more than likely to start the week of September 8 with one game a week in most cases.”
The YMCA is intentional about making sure student-athletes don’t lose sight of the fact that the student aspect comes first. “Our middle school athletic programs are designed to prepare the youth in our community for high school athletics,” said Glover, “In addition to developing each player’s skills, stamina, love for the game, and team camaraderie, we also design our program so that the youth begin to understand the true meaning of being a student-athlete.” That means grades, attendance, and behavior matter just as much as performance on the field. “We work with the [CRMS and LMS] administration to ensure our players meet the high school standard.”
Mulford said he and other volunteers decided to start the program because “We saw a real need and opportunity in our community. By creating this program, we’re not only helping players develop their skills, but also reinforcing important values like teamwork, accountability, and school pride.”
The community seems to agree. Lockerman’s tryouts, which concluded Aug. 13, drew in 60 students between the boys’ and girls’ teams. “Players spent two evenings on the field as our coaches evaluated their skills, stamina, coachability, leadership skills, attitude, and more,” Glover said.
The program has already gotten immense support from local organizations; Eric Simmons of Simmons Welding & Fabrication built brand-new goals for both schools, Caroline County Public Schools is providing their field space, and numerous volunteer coaches are donating their time and expertise. Businesses and individuals are also stepping up with sponsorships to offset start-up costs and offer scholarships for students to play free of charge. “Everyone involved shares a passion for the game and a commitment to supporting local youth,” Mulford said.
Colonel Richardson Middle School’s soccer club has its own Facebook page, and more information can be found on the YMCA’s website and Facebook page. Tryouts for Lockerman were held Aug. 11 through 13, while Colonel Richardson’s are set for Aug. 18 through 21.
