Jen Karowe, Peak to Peak.   Saturday is the last game of the season and concludes 18 years of Nederland’s Peak to Peak Youth Soccer program. Did you know Peak to Peak Soccer is sponsored by TEENS, Inc.? It has been since 2001!

Peak to Peak Soccer fits right in with the TEENS, Inc. mission to Support, Educate and Empower Youth and their Families to make Healthy Choices and Thrive!

The program is geared toward teaching any young soccer fan basic skills with an emphasis on positive role modeling, sportsmanship and teamwork. Games are played against other league teams from Idaho Springs and Gilpin County. Coaches, co-coaches, assistant coaches, team managers and concession stand volunteers volunteer their time. Parents help paint lines, move goals, supply snacks, carpool and cheerlead.

Marni Siegal, Peak to Peak Youth Soccer coordinator, oversees 10 coaches and 130 soccer stars from kindergarten to 8th grade. With 10-18 players per team, over half of NES students and about 30 middle schoolers participate. This season is the first to include 7th and 8th graders. Rick Elertson, NMSHS Assistant Principal/Athletic Director, has also added high school boys’ soccer this year.

“Rick wanted a K-12 soccer program and parents wanted soccer to continue through middle school,” said Siegal. “Adding 7th and 8th grades to Peak Soccer filled the need.”

“There are so many benefits to kids playing soccer,” says Grace Moss, mom and coach of two teams; Team Panthers and Team Soccer Balls. “Soccer builds confidence, allows for friendly competition and is fun!” she says.

“It’s been really fun to coach my sons,” says Moss. “I didn’t grow up playing soccer, so this is a sport we got to learn together in the beautiful mountains.”

Player registration fees cover equipment and soccer field rentals.

Concession stand profits cover scholarships. TEENS, Inc. funds a league coordinator stipend, insurance and extraneous expenses like larger nets for the older players. Stephen LeFaiver, TEENS, Inc. Executive Director and Alisa Musser, TEENS, Inc. Assistant Director, provide support to the league coordinator.

“This year there were three times the number of scholarship requests and TEENS, Inc. covered the scholarships the concessions couldn’t,” said Siegal.

“TEENS, Inc. is the backbone of Peak Soccer.”

The last game is October 6, 2018 in Idaho Springs. It’s an away game that for some families includes a BBQ lunch or a trip to the hot springs as a bonus afterward. Go Team!

(Originally published in the October 4, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)