To tri-town families:

Soccer has been a part of our lives for many years here in the tri-town. For 10 years, Oceaneer’s Youth Soccer ran a terrific alternative program for our area families who did not wish to leave the tri-town and go to Fairhaven for soccer. Last year, the founding family of the Oceaneer’s club wanted to retire and asked the Marion Recreation Department to step in and take over the program. Marion Recreation worked with the Town of Rochester to create the Marion Rochester Youth Soccer (MRYS) league so our families would continue to have a choice where to play.

It has been a learning curve in this inaugural year, yet we had a strong fall program with over 400 kids participating. For those kids that wanted more competition we fielded three travel teams. This spring we have organized more travel teams and are enthusiastic about our soccer future in both our Rec and Travel teams.

A goal of the Marion Recreation Department was to find a local soccer travel league that is convenient, competitive and age and ability appropriate for our kids. We petitioned to join SouthCoast Soccer League (SCSL), with the attempt to keep our children playing in our local geographical area.

In September 2015, our initial appeal to join was denied. At that time, we opted to join another travel league, MAPL (Mass Premier League) so our travel teams could enjoy the travel experience. The challenge with MAPL is that our children travel a long distance to play, instead of competing in neighboring towns or islands. For example, our U9 Girls travel team had to go to Connecticut for a regular season league game.

We feel playing locally, with choices is better for all involved. We believe in this so much that we have written in our MRYS constitution that any child may play in any travel or recreational club, anywhere, regardless of where they live. We expressed this to SCSL and all the area soccer programs.

We have written it clearly into our constitution, that MRYS will always grant a blanket unbinding waiver to any child that seeks to play in another club. It is our belief that the game of soccer, at this elementary level, affects not only the child playing but the family as well. This is why we are appealing to join the Southcoast Soccer League. It is local.

We would like to set the record straight given the confusion or misinformation being passed around by some. The choice to play, with ANY CLUB at ANY TIME is still there. No one but a parent can decide where the child may play. It has been stated that your choice will be taken away: IT WILL NOT!

Marion Rochester Youth Soccer has the best interest of the children and their families at the core of its principles. It is what governs our actions and is our guiding principles. We petition to the SCSL to gain access for local travel play, ONLY. Waivers to play anywhere will be forever granted to any child requesting it. We will continue to provide a first class youth soccer program for our children.

Marion Rochester Youth Soccer