Voyageurs at Youth Clubs

[Sam]

There has been a lot of talk on here about getting involved with local youth clubs over the last few days. One of the biggest problems we have with the game in this country is volunteers who don't know the game. Everyone on this board is clearly committed to Canadian soccer and has some knowledge of the game.

I think it would be cool if as a supporters group we ran a big campaign to get involved with local clubs and then log hours to see where we are at. The idea would be to set a goal as a group (ie. 10,000 hours) of how much time we've collectively spent volunteering at youth clubs whether it be through coaching, managing or anything else the club needs. People could then come on a part of the website and write in somewhere the number of hours they've put in every time they do something for the club. I think it would send a message that we as a group of fans are willing to help raise the game in this country to the next level.

I also think it would be cool if going into the next round of World Cup Qualifying we could advertise the Voyageurs as a group of supporters who have collectively put in 10,000 hours to making Canadian soccer better.

[NSSoccer]

I think 10,000 would be a very modest number. I know that I put in at least 700-800 hours a year on my own as a volunteer/coach (I return all honorariums back to the players on my team by buying them gear, organized activities, etc.) I expect those hours to increase, given that I am moving from coaching elite soccer to starting a NPO academy in the rural area I just moved to. So, let's say 1000 hours a year on my own starting next month.

[Sam]

Yeah when I put 10,000 hours I guess I didn't really think it through. As an assistant coach I volunteered about 200 hours and then worked for much more than that on the club's technical staff in one year. Maybe 100,000 is attainable?

[Trillium]

100k new hours by new volunteers...not jut a totalling of existing coaches/volunteer hours would be good goal.