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Sports Editor - Gerard Creces email:gsssports@bawesnet.com
Wednesday, May -13, 2009
on-line: www.goderichsignalstar.com
Oldtimers send Chatsworth packing in season opener
Photo by Gerard Creces
Luke Shephard makes a tough shot look easy during the Goderich Oldtimers' season opener against Chatsworth
Saturday morning at Ag Park. Despite the wet weather, the team buckled down and emerged with a 3-1 victory.
Periodic rain and thick fog did nothing to stop the
Goderich Oldtimers from lacing up for a hazy Satur-
day on the Ag Park pitch this weekend.
The Oldtimers hosted Chatsworth May 9, handing
them a 3-1 loss with their first home game success
this year.
Goderich gave the gears to Chatsworth's defence,
keeping pressure on the visiting team for most of the
game.
"We did dominate play but they had some chanc-
es," said Oldtimer Mike Strickland. "We dominated
in their defensive zone for sure."
Scoring for Goderich were Luke Shephard, Leo
VanderVoort and Gerd Keller.
This was the first game of the regular season for the
Oldtimers, holding their first practice Apr. 29, before
a May 6 exhibition against Exeter.
"It feels awesome to get the grass between your feet
again," said Strickland of the new season.
The team draws mainly from the Goderich area, ac-
cording to Strickland, though there are players from
Blyth, Clinton and as far as Wingham on the team.
The local Oldtimers League consists of four teams,
the others being from Hanover and Kincardine/Port
Elgin. Fixtures for the season include nine regularly
scheduled league games for each team, along with
several tournaments spread throughout the summer.
The regular season extends into the fall, with the
Port Elgin Pumpkinfest Tournament in early October
as the last officially scheduled fixture.
Goderich's lineup for the year is more solidified,
Strickland said, as players who joined late in the sea-
son last year are back in a full-time way.
"We do have a few new faces," he said. "And some
younger guys as well."
In order to bolster team numbers, Strickland said
the league has lowered the minimum age requirement
from 35 to 30. Some underage players are being al-
lowed in regular season games, he said, though in
tournaments the 30 -plus rule stands.
An exhibition team is in the works for Wingham,
with the possibility of joining the league next year.
Each Oldtimer game is truly a "friendly" match;
there are no official league statistics or standings. The
objective of Oldtimer soccer is to celebrate the game
of soccer by engaging in friendly yet competitive play
simply for the love of the game.
Following each match, it is customary for the home
team to host some sort of social gathering to remi-
nisce play and build fellowship. That same open at-
titude extends to practice, where the Oldtimers wel-
come all onto the pitch.
This year marks the 29th season of play for the
Goderich Club, as well as the 29th year of hosting
the Goderich Oldtimers Soccer Tournament, slated
for June 6.
Once again, teams will travel from as far away as
Windsor, Toronto, and Anchor Bay, .Michigan to par-
ticipate.
The team normally practices throughout the season
on Wednesday nights, 7:30 p.m. at the Ag Park field.
Visitors are alw rys welcome and encouraged to en-
gage the field 01 play.
Anyone interested in learning more about Oldtim-
ers soccer can contact Mike Strickland in Goderich at
524-7825.