Siloam Springs filling its future World Cup

Staff Photo Graham Thomas People of all ages love soccer, including these two youngsters who participated in John Brown University’s men’s soccer camp in early June.

Staff Photo Graham Thomas People of all ages love soccer, including these two youngsters who participated in John Brown University’s men’s soccer camp in early June.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Over the last few weeks, people all around the country and the world have been gathering in front of televisions and giant video screens to be a part of one of sports' greatest events -- the World Cup.

The game of soccer is the world's most popular game, and every four years the World Cup descends on a country to determine the world champion.

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This year all eyes are on Brazil and much attention is being paid to the event which seems to always bring out the patriotic pride in everyone involved.

In Siloam Springs, however, where soccer continues to grow in popularity, this summer's World Cup gives an opportunity for the world's game to blossom even more.

"It's amazing to me the growth I've seen the last 20 years since the U.S. hosted the World Cup," said Dwayne Buxton, a local soccer coach with the newly formed Siloam Springs Futbol Club. "It used to be that many played soccer in the offseason to get in shape for other sports, and now I see kids dedicated to the sport year-round."

For proof of the growth, Siloam Springs has only to look at its local club enrollment.

Buxton said Siloam Springs Futbol Club, which celebrated its first complete year as a club June 27, grew from 333 players last fall to 451 players in the spring -- an increase of more than 35 percent.

All told, 589 kids from Siloam Springs and the surrounding area participated in youth soccer with Siloam Springs Futbol Club, according to Buxton. He said that around 50 percent of those players are ages 9 and younger.

"This fall we expect to have five competitive-level travel teams in addition to our recreational program," Buxton said. "More and more people are seeing that the game is simple, inexpensive, great exercise and, most of all, fun for the kids because it keeps them moving."

The World Cup taking place this summer can only help, Buxton said.

Buxton said kids nowadays wear the jerseys of their favorite soccer players from around the world, especially Lionel Messi of Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, two of the world's greatest players.

"Hopefully soon it will be MLS (Major League Soccer) jerseys and those with the names of U.S. players on the back," Buxton said. "That next step will be when U.S. soccer gets its first Bird, Magic or Jordan that draws everyone's attention. Maybe that's Julian Green, or maybe we have to wait a little longer."

Buxton said the success of the United States men's national team can have a huge impact as well.

"I'm anxious to see the impact of the World Cup," Buxton said. "We see kids playing pickup every day now the way they always have for basketball, and that is going to drive the growth in soccer as much as the organized side of the sport. All you have to do is drive around town some evening, and you'll find pickup matches happening on multiple fields."

Siloam Springs Futbol Club isn't the only local organization trying to take advantage of a soccer-filled summer.

The John Brown University men's and women's soccer programs, as they do every year, are holding youth soccer camps for kids.

The men's team held a camp in early June and will hold another later in the summer. The women's team held its camp in late June.

JBU men's coach Scott Marksberry said it's wise to try and take advantage of the growing popularity of soccer during a World Cup summer, especially in Siloam Springs.

"There's a good number of the population who seems to really enjoy soccer and has played it at some point in their background," Marksberry said.

During his first camp this summer, Marksberry told his campers that one of the rules of the camp was to have fun playing soccer.

"Soccer shouldn't be a job," he said. "It shouldn't feel like a job. It shouldn't feel like work. It should be fun. As long as it's fun for the kids and if we teach them right then they're going to improve."

One of the early camp's goals, Marksberry said, was to familiarize the younger kids with some of the World Cup's best players and teams so they would be ready by the time the World Cup started.

At the next camp, which is slated to include more-elite, older players, Marksberry said there will be some film study of the World Cup.

This past spring, JBU and SSFC joined forces once a week for training sessions with JBU men's players and SSFC players.

"We had as many as 250 kids out at one of them, which is pretty awesome," Marksberry said. "It was pretty overwhelming for our players initially. They got the hang of it, and it was pretty fun. That was a lot of fun for our guys."

Buxton said Siloam Springs is quickly becoming known for soccer. Siloam Springs High School boys and girls teams have combined to win three state championships in the last four years and have played in a combined five state title games.

Buxton added that Siloam Springs Futbol Club has also been contacted by people moving to Northwest Arkansas and wanting to know about SSFC as part of their decision on where to live. The club boasts growth and will soon have new soccer fields at their disposal in the fall.

"Between this and the potential to bring visitors to Siloam Springs," Buxton said, "soccer and SSFC have the opportunity to add economic value to the community along."

NAN Life on 07/02/2014