Optimist Soccer

By Rosie Poling, Junior Journalist

What’s more fun than playing soccer? Playing soccer with friends in the Optimist League on Marco Island! This is the Optimist’s League’s 3rd year of having fun and playing soccer. This year, there is an international theme to celebrate the recent World Cup with all of the teams representing countries from around the globe. The program started in November and will run until February 12th, with a total of 10 exciting games for every team. About 250 soccer stars are playing, in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. There are 27 teams and 19 sponsors.

The girls in kindergarten through fifth grade play soccer Saturdays, 8:30 through 10 AM at Winterberry Park. The girl’s kindergarten and first grade teams are Spain (Scott and Stacy Flagship ERA Real Estate), Ireland (Island Country Club), and South Africa (Mr. Squeegy Window Cleaning). The girl’s second and third grade teams are Italy (Island Montessori Academy), England (Crystal Horizon, Inc. Your Happy Handyman), and Ireland (Poling Medical Center). The girl’s fourth and fifth grade teams are Ireland (Boxma Financial), Italy (Sasso’s), and Mexico (Allied Paver Systems).

The boys in kindergarten through fifth grade play soccer Saturdays,

10 AM through Noon. The boy’s kindergarten and first grade teams are Italy (Island Montessori Academy), Mexico (Nacho Mama’s), Holland (Marco Island Academy), and Greece (Marco Island Bobcat). The boy’s second and third grade teams are Spain (Delta Q Fire and Explosion Consultants Inc.), Holland (Marco Island Academy), Brasil (Marco Island Marriott), and Mexico (Nacho Mama’s). The boy’s fourth grade and fifth grade teams are Germany (Island Electronics, LLC “The Shack”), Spain (Kriger Orthodontics), Brasil (Family Foot and Leg Center), and France (Megan Welker, DDS).

The sixth through eighth graders play on Friday nights, under the lights from 6:15 through 8:00 at Winterberry Park. The girl’s sixth through eighth grade teams are Italy (Mr. Squeegy Window Cleaning), Germany (Gulfshore Insurance Inc.), and Australia (Marco Island Bobcat). The boy’s sixth through eighth grade teams are Spain (Island Country Club), Ireland (Kriger Orthodontics), and Greece (Physicians Regional Medical Center).

The Optimist Club of Marco Island (OCMI) would like to thank all the volunteer coaches, website mangers, referees (especially Kim and Tim Burke) and all the parents for helping. OCMI would also like to thank Marco Island Parks and Recreation Department for maintenance and preparation of the fields. Anyone who enjoys watching soccer can come to watch the games at Winterberry Park. If you want more information go to www.hometeamonline.com/mioptimist/