A new direction. It's where a segment of Cochrane's adult soccer is heading with the formation of the Cochrane Soccer Club.
A new direction.
It's where a segment of Cochrane's adult soccer is heading with the formation of the Cochrane Soccer Club.
Cochrane Rangers Soccer Club's former technical director Dominic Hickey felt it was time to break away from the established Rangers, which had served as the local umbrella under which all adult soccer was played in Cochrane. He felt certain players in the Rangers program sought a different style of technical guidance and training, so he resigned as Rangers technical director at the team's AGM last month and formed Cochrane Soccer Club.
“We're looking for players who want to practise and want to have technical sessions, not just turn up and play a game, ” Hickey relates. “So that's why we set this up. ”
His goal is to take adult soccer up a level in Cochrane, with an ambitious game plan borrowed from Euro football (soccer) powerhouse Barcelona.
“It's all about trying to move the ball ahead more quickly, ” Hickey said.
For their part, Rangers feel Cochrane has more than enough players to stock two adult soccer programs.
“We believe that Cochrane is big enough for two clubs, ” says Rangers president Paul Tas. “Having competition within the town keeps everybody sharp and can benefit soccer in Cochrane overall. Would be great to play a real town derby. ”
Like Rangers, Cochrane Soccer Club teams will play in the Calgary United Soccer Association. The women's teams will play in the Calgary Women's Soccer Association. The Cochrane Soccer Club features six teams: Men's Over-45, Over-35 and Open (16-and-over); Women's Over-30, Over-40 and Rec League.
“We definitely have expectations, particularly with our ladies' team, ” Hickey enthuses.
Hickey suggested Cochrane Soccer Club and Jim Darby's recently-formed under-19-year-old (U19) men's Cochrane Roma Soccer Club may join forces. Roma, with one team, is in its first season of Calgary United indoor soccer Div. 5A play.
Both the Cochrane Soccer and Cochrane Rangers soccer clubs are now registering players for the outdoor competitive and recreational seasons. Rangers anticipate fielding four men's and three women's teams for competitive play this season, as well as a women's recreational soccer program.
Cochrane Soccer Club can be reached at [email protected] and Rangers at www.cochranerangers.com
