Soccer
Stockbridge United Methodist Soccer Site
The Story of Stockbridge United Methodist Church Soccer
Not too many years ago, in the Fall of 2003 Mike Reis with the support of his wife Val, started a small Church Soccer League known today as, The SUMC Soccer League. SUMC (Stockbridge United Methodist Church) Soccer began with simply 36 kids in only one age group of just 5 and 6 year old children. The purpose of the league has always been to introduce children to the sport of soccer, while enjoying the fellowship of others. The league and the environment around the league are designed to build self esteem, to teach sportsmanship, to develop team participation, and of coarse teach soccer skills all based on Christian principles. Of the original 36 children 17 of them are still playing in the league today.
Well no one expected what would come next, that very same year in the fall we nearly tripled in size with right at 100 kids. If you can imagine what Mike and Val were thinking it might have been, what are we going to do with all these kids and where are we going to put them? Like always, God made a way for it to happen by using people just like you who volunteered their time and support to help Mike make it happen. The good news is that it worked; Mike’s vision was coming to fruition. I say that because a few months later at the opening of the spring season 2005 the league just about doubled in size again with about 190 kids. That is five times as many kids in just one year. Amazingly enough, out of those 190 kids who played the first year of SUMC Soccer, almost half of them are still playing soccer in this league today.
It doesn’t stop there; in the fall of 2005 we had 210 kids. Come spring of 2006 there were over 240 kids, in the fall of 2006 we had over 260 kids and the need for more space and support was obvious. The league had grown so much, and the coaches, helpers and supporters all grew right along with it. It is truly amazing not only how God works, but how God also provides for your needs. When the spring of 2007 arrived and the roster showed 320 kids signed up to be on 54 teams playing 27 games every Saturday on 1 well laid out modified softball field, God again showed up and through many gracious donations SUMC Soccer during our off time has been given a new playing field that will be ready to go for the next season!
