Harrison County Parks and Recreation along with the local Knights of Columbus #872 is conducting the 10^th annual Kirkwood Memorial Soccer Challenge on Saturday October 8. Registration will be held at 9 a.m. at the Summit Park Recreation Complex.  The event is free of charge to all who participates.

 

Those who qualify in the local event advance to the state finals, which a date and time has yet to be determined. The winner of each age group will be determined as the state champion. The event is open to kids between the ages of 6-14 however those kids 9-14 can advance to the state competition.

 

“While the event is for kids between the ages of 9 to 14, we want to include the younger kids in order to prep them for competition when they reach the age requirements,” related Deputy Director Doug Comer. “The state competition only allows the older kids to compete, but the younger players will be recognized as the best performers on a local scale.”

 

Scoring, which starts from the most basic of kicks - the penalty kick, is decided on accuracy.  Points are earned as long as the ball goes into the net.  The lower corners have a score of 10 points while the upper corners are 20.  All other shots into the net are valued at five.

 

“The Soccer Challenge is one that we hold dear to our heart because the event is named after the Kirkwood family, who has strong soccer ties in our community,” remarked Comer.  “We hope to have a full field of participants especially to show respect for the Kirkwood family. Overall we hope that all soccer kids takes the time to participate in this free event.”

 

A parent or guardian must be present at the time of registration and must present a birth certificate to register the child for competition. For more information, please contact Jack Cann, Recreation Specialist for more information at 304-423-7800.