Soccer teams scrambling for fields

Milltown United Soccer Club provides recreational soccer play for over 1500 kids in the Cedar Mill area every year. But they're getting to the point that they will have to limit their enrollment because of the lack of playing fields. They practice and play games on fields at schools, parks, churches, and on corporate campuses. Most of their fields are those managed by Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District (THPRD).

Former Milltown president Eric Ufer says, "We cannot really grow much more. I think we will cap out around 1700 players with what we have available. Game scheduling is an issue for our league, especially for full-size fields that the older teams need. All clubs need access to turf fields because grass fields get rained out a lot. They get ruined when they're played on during wet weather over time."

Current Milltown president Kevin Fraczek says, "Field limitations definitely limit practice times. Most of the rec kids get one practice a week, where they share the field with one to three other teams."

Tualatin Hills Junior Soccer League (THJSL, thjsl.org) is the parent league of all the THPRD clubs. They schedule all the available fields for the six recreational clubs and the two competitive clubs. The field-asssignment program is administered by Bill Kanable, THPRD Board member and President/Fields Coordinator of THJSL, and President of Westside Warriors Soccer Club and board member of Westside Metros classic club.

THPRD has tried to acquire more land for playing fields, but has not been very successful in our area. The latest fields built by THPRD were in other clubs' areas. They hope that the eventual development of the recently-acquired land, that was formerly part of the Teufel Nursery on Miller Road, will ease the situation. They have also been talking to the Beaverton School District about developing fields on the site that was condemned for a school nearly ten years ago in the Timberland development, but apparently there are legal complications with that situation.

Registration for the short spring soccer season, with about 500 players signed up, is now closed for Milltown. Signups for the fall season will open soon, visit milltownunited.com for more info.

Milltown is starting a "Field of Dreams" fundraising campaign to help acquire, lease or otherwise help build additional fields for our community. Ufer says, "if folks want to donate land or money for it they can contact president@milltownunited.com.

NEWS HOME