After a successful run last year, the fall adult house league at the Woolwich Youth Soccer Club is on again for 2018. Players of all experience levels are participating in this co-ed league, with registration closing September 1.

“We already have quite a few people from last year already registered,” explained Brendan Lowther, chair of the club’s recreational committee. “As of right now, we’re about halfway to our registration goal.”

The target is a total of 64 registrants, the same amount as last year, to form four full soccer teams. Registrants must be at least 18 years of age.

“It’s a fun way to stay active,” said Merrin Macrae, a participant in last years’ adult soccer league who will be playing again this year. “You don’t have to have played varsity soccer in order to join the team. It’s a mixed league, which means we have people at all sorts of different levels and we have both males and females. It’s a fun way to stay active, to get outside, and also to meet other people.”

They organize the teams according to skill level to keep the teams as fair as possible. Woolwich Youth Soccer encourages everyone to come out, whether participants have prior experience playing the sport or not.

“It’s not made to be a majorly competitive environment; we sort of encourage everyone of all abilities to be able to attend and play,” said Lowther. “On our registration form we have a way for people to self-select their ability, so if you select A-level, it means you play a lot and have lots of experience, all the way down to D-level players, those who have never played before. And then when we make the teams, we make them so that they’re as even as we can, based on that self-selection.”

There are 16 people on a full team. When organizing the teams, the club is sure to accommodate special requests.

“At the same time, we do accept the traditional friend requests,” said Lowther. “And the spouse requests. You don’t have to request your spouse; we assume you want them on your team, but you could also let us know if that’s not the case. Sometimes people want to compete against each other, and that’s fun.”

The league draws in players from all over the area, outside of Elmira and even outside Waterloo Region. Lowther attributes this to being one of the few soccer leagues in the area that is just for fun.

“We do get a lot of people from a variety of areas; so we get people from Waterloo, a few from Elmira, but even people from just outside the area,” said Lowther. “So we get people from Drayton, Fergus, Elora, places like that. It’s pretty cool. We see different kinds of people from all over.

“It’s unbelievable actually. We get people from quite a ways out, and I’m surprised that people will drive in for like 40 minutes, from wherever they are, up north kind of thing. Every time I go to the registration, it’s a surprise, some of the addresses, to me.”

The cost to register is $65. The first game will be September 9, and the league will continue for seven weeks (excluding Thanksgiving weekend) until October 28. Games take place Sundays at Park Manor PS fields in Elmira at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.