“You’re just honoured to be on the list, but when my name was read, it was pure shock and surprise... emotional... it means a lot, it meant a lot to me, it meant a lot to our community, to our organization, to our board because really you don’t become this successful without the people around you, the families around you, the kids that are coming out to play soccer, everything... everybody has a little bit of a piece of this award.” 

The words from Jason Roy, President of the Weyburn Soccer Association, after being named the Saskatchewan Soccer Association’s Volunteer of the Year during the SSA’s annual general meeting and awards banquet held in Weyburn Saturday at McKenna Hall. The award was made even more special for Roy, as his son Brennan was one of the emcees for the event, and was the one to read out the name.  

Roy has been involved with Weyburn Soccer for a number of years, and has helped the program grow in registration, and with the completion of the Spark Centre, expand to a three-season soccer program. They now have around 300 kids registered in the fall, 300 in the winter, and upwards of 500 in the spring.  

The AGM and awards banquet marked the first time Weyburn had been selected for the event, and Roy explained they received word a few months back asking for a package to be put together. They submitted everything to Saskatchewan Soccer, and from there, everything was booked.  

The weekend included a meet and greet that brought all of the soccer organizations from across the province to the Spark Centre Friday night. Then, during the day on Saturday, there were a number of demonstration events at the Spark Centre, including walking soccer, a less-intense version of the game. Then, the AGM and the banquet were held at McKenna Hall Saturday night.  

Coming up next for Weyburn Soccer, ahead of their spring season, will be an ID camp at the Spark Centre in two weeks' time for the Forge FC club. Forge FC is a U15 and U17 club that has players from Weyburn, Swift Current, Moose Jaw and Yorkton. After that will be the spring season, once the conditions allow.