THE NEED
Currently Cochrane has over 1500 Soccer Players from 3 years old to Seniors and no proper Indoor Facilities to play on and there are just two (2) properly maintained outdoor fields in the entire Town. The need for new adn improved facilities is URGENT. When you add other Turf Sports to the equation there are thousands of Cochranites playing Turf Sports yet there is no Indoor Turf Facility in Cochrane.
With limited space and no new indoor facilities in sight, soccer is turning kids away from the sport and is forced to compromise its program delivery to provide indoor soccer experiences to as many kids as possible.
Over 500 kids are currently playing indoor soccer with the Wolves, which is a 100% increase in Indoor soccer over the past 3 years. As we approach capacity we are forced to choose how often each program can play, and in what space we have to facilitate this.
As our existing indoor soccer facility in Cochrane does not have proper indoor Turf our competitive teams are forced to play all 160 indoor league games in Calgary and surrounding areas.
FALLING FURTHER BEHIND
Compared with other communities surrounding Calgary, Cochrane’s facilities continue to fall behind. Both Airdrie and Okotoks have more indoor and outdoor soccer fields and surfaces. These two communities have soccer specific facilities that boast a minimum of 3 full sized 11v11 outdoor fields each. Sport facilities in Cochrane have been neglected for decades and currently there is no plan to support the growth and development of Sport in our Town.
THE COST OF INACTION
The consequences of inaction are real, and they are already here today. Without strategic investments in new and improved infrastructure to meet the growing need for Cochrane, we will continue to push kids away from the game.
Sports offer children more than just physical activity they cultivate mental well-being, essential life skills, and the invaluable experience of teamwork.