On Aug. 17, the club is hosting an anniversary celebration with celebrities, food, activities and, of course, soccer games at Ray Twinney Recreation Complex
The Newmarket Soccer Club has something to celebrate.
On Aug. 17, the community sports organization plans to occupy all three fields at the Ray Twinney Recreation Complex to celebrate its 65th anniversary. There will be celebrities, food, activities and, of course, soccer games.
The day, like the club itself, aims to include the Newmarket community and celebrate it.
“We really have prioritized the community in every decision we have made,” says club president Petra Fera.
The jam-packed afternoon will feature activities for children on field three. There will be inflatables, carnival games, face painting and soccer-related activities. Recreational playoffs for players in the U14 to U16 age groups teams will be in field two. There will be inter squad games for the competitive U12 to U16 players in field one.
Food trucks will be on site along with vendors and community partners. Sebastian Giovinco, brand ambassador for Toronto FC, will be on hand, along with other guests.
And the day concludes with an Ontario Soccer League men’s game versus Aurora starting at 4 p.m.
As a single mother at the time, Petra Fera saw the club embrace her son and offer support as he became more involved in soccer, moving onto competitive play at age eight.
“I saw the enjoyment that the sport brought to my son” who developed into a competitive player, she recalls. “It helped him become who he is as a person.
“These are people I want to help, and drive it in the future.”
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Fera started as a soccer mom but found herself more involved. She became manager of her son’s competitive team and for 10 years she was known as the “momager” who was also involved in sponsorship, events and activities and as a mentor manager.
Then came a year-long stint as the club’s vice-president, followed by the last three years as president of the non-profit organization. Meanwhile her eight-year-old daughter is playing recreational soccer with the club.
She juggles the volunteer work with her day job as head secretary at Sacred Heart Catholic High School.
The Newmarket Soccer Club has more than 5,000 active members, which includes adults and children playing recreationally and competitively.
It all started in 1960, the culmination of a multi-year effort. The club takes pride in constantly building its community year after year.
Over the years it adapted and evolved. By 1992, there were 1,357 players, including adults and youths playing on recreational and competitive teams.
Talks for a dome began in 2006 and, in July 2013, the club celebrated its grand opening.
“The club was really booming in 2012-13. We had built our own facility. A lot of hard work and effort went into making that happen,” says Fera. “That really showed the community that we were here to stay and we were taking it seriously.”
The facility is used every day of the week, by the club, neighbouring schools and other organizations and sports groups, allowing for fitness training along with competitive and adult programming.
In the summer, it is used to hold summer camps, which helps pay the bills.
“It was probably one of the best moves for the Newmarket Soccer Club to build a stand-alone facility,” says Fera.
While all recreational groups took a hit during the pandemic when the town’s soccer club started rebuilding it grew even bigger than it was before.
There are now six full-time staff members working behind the scenes. Fera says the goal is to offer the best programming with affordable rates and encouraging feedback to attract more players.