Manistee Soccer Club is a non-profit corporation promoting and supporting competitive soccer for players in Manistee and Manistee County.  The Club plays in the Great Lakes Co-Ed Soccer League, sanctioned through the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association.  It serves both boys and girls ages 8 (3rd grade) thorough 19 (12th grade). 

Organized in 1995, Manistee Soccer Club began when a group of parents realized their children needed a program that allowed them to grow their skills.  This key group of  parents included Dr. Carl Wilberg, Dave Ohman, Paul Sitz, Rich Guillen, Jr., Deidre Robison and Sid Scrimger.  The club was created to foster youth soccer in the area, specifically to bridge the gap between local (MRA) and High School soccer. At the time there was no high school program. The sons of many of the directors showed promise and their parents wanted to promote a program that would take the program into Manistee High School. Dr Wilberg and Paul Sitz agreed that Paul would coach and Carl would handle the administration. For the first years we had junior high teams competing in the Northern Michigan Soccer Alliance and a High School Club team during the fall. Dr Wilberg developed an extensive phone list as he called looking to schedule soccer matches. In 1997 Manistee High School introduced the first Varsity and Junior Varsity Soccer teams coached by Paul Sitz (varsity) and Rich Guillen (Junior Varsity). That eased the scheduling issues. While Manistee did not start out with an exciting record – within 4 years they won their first district championship upsetting Ludington in Ludington. That team featured many of the first 4 year soccer players at Manistee High.

The Manistee Soccer Club has since changed its affiliation to the Great Lakes Co-Ed Soccer League (www.glcsoccer.org) allowing for more home games and less travel time.  The Spring of 2008 season was the Clubs largest program yet with a roster of seven teams made up of 108 young soccer players from all around Manistee County.  With the addition, this fall, of a U10 Girls division team, the Spring 2009 season looks to be another record setting season.

Manistee Soccer Club is made up entirely of non-paid volunteers with almost 20 coaches this fall season.  In addition, 9 members of the Community currently serve on the Board of Directors, each undertaking a huge responsibility in the behind the scenes organization.  All referees for the GLCSL have to be FIFA certified and  the Manistee Soccer Club has been fortunate enough to have local residents willing to take this course, pass and recertify every year.  The Club has had the pleasure of  using Manistee Area Public School property to practice and play games.  If you should like any information on how to make a tax deductible contribution, have a player that is interested, or just would like further information, please contact Wendy Miller at 723-8936, Cathy Meagher at 723-3406 or Dawn Jordan at 723-2446.

Club Officers

Wendy Miller - President
Cathy Meagher - Vice-President
Mitch Deisch - Secretary
Sue LaPoint - Treasurer
Dawn Jordan - Registrar
Melissa Bauman - Registrar

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