Fallbrook Youth Soccer League celebrates opening day

Sara Lypps

Special to the Village News

What an amazing day we had this year at Ingold Sports Park celebrating the official kickoff to the Fallbrook Youth Soccer League season, Aug. 20. After having the last two years off due to the pandemic, we really weren't sure what to expect. Families came out in record numbers to watch their children and grandchildren play and cheered enthusiastically while stopping by our booth for a jumbo hot dog and a snow cone.

This is our biggest fundraiser of the year for our Villa Boys U15 Team, and we were ready to serve. Our boys even rolled up their sleeves for a few hours to help, which was magical to watch. We had our best year yet. The funds we raised with our booth go toward future tournaments as well as equipment that our team needs.

All of our food was donated from Major Market, Grocery Outlet, and Northgate Market. Ace Party Rentals was kind enough to let us use their industrial snow cone machine, no one lost a limb... but that thing was a beast and the kids loved it.

This was the first year that we had a salsa contest. Now it really didn't look like we were going to have enough contestants to carry it out but, in the 11th hour, everyone wanted a piece of the action. We were hoping for 12-15 entries, but we got 21. The first place prize was a pizza party for the entire team that won.

Mountain Mike's Pizza donated the winning prize. All of the funds that we collected from the salsa tasting, as well as from our hamburger station, go directly into our FYSL general fund for scholarships.

We were even honored with the presence of a candidate for Honorary Mayor, Allen Sargent. He came by to catch a game or two and mingle with the team and local residents. If elected, the funds he raises throughout the community will go directly to benefit the local Foundation for Senior Care and support the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce.

Sports are so crucial to the growth and development of young boys and girls. They not only get to exert some of their stored-up energy, get away from their electronics for a while, but they also get to be part of a team. This helps build character. They can learn that, with a little hard work and dedication, they can be better equipped to handle challenges on and off the field.

We have some amazing and extraordinary coaches here in Fallbrook that volunteer because they love to mentor and mold young players to become the best version of themselves. Please reach out to FYSL for more information on our Recreational Soccer Teams as well as for our Club Villa FC Teams.

FYSL is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and your tax-deductible donations are always appreciated to support our scholarship program and to help maintain our sports park. Inquires: please visit http://www.fysl.org

Our mailing address is: FYSL, P.O. Box 271, Fallbrook, CA 92088 or email [email protected] or call 760-529-0909 for more information.

Sara Lypps is the fundraiser coordinator for FYSL's opening day.