Healdsburg Youth Soccer League rebounds, holds "play day" Saturday

Healdsburg Youth Soccer League is on the mend and coming out strong after a financial scandal this year involving its former president.

New HYSL President Mitzi Giron said she and other board members and coaches will offer a free public "Soccer Day" on Saturday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at to allow kids to play, register for the new season and meet some of the leaders.

"We'll have free hot dogs and lemondade for kids, and we'll have some pickup games and drills," said Jon Evans, HYSL coaching director. "We'll try to get our faces out there for people."

Giron and Evans said they and other board members met twice this week with Healdsburg city staff members to work out a cooperative partnership with the city s new soccer program.

"We both want to work together to be a cohesive group that helps the community," Giron said Friday. "Our main goal is to help the kids; we don't want to lose sight of that."

Last week, g to the new city program after 125 residents signed a petition asking for a more affordable city soccer program.

Healdsburg's program, which will launch in August and is now accepting registrations, charges $65 and offers scholarships. Residents at the meeting last week said they wanted a more affordable program that was also non- competitive.

Some people -- and city staff -- said that they had tried to contact HYSL, but had difficulties in making contact.

No HYSL members were at the meeting. Some Patch readers said later they were upset that the city was launching a program to compete with HYSL, and that HYSL was portrayed at the city meeting as being uncommunicative.

Giron, who took office with the other board members in January, said there was probably a gap in communications in recent months as the league tried to cope with the

He is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 17; prosecutors said his maximum jail time of nine months could be reduced if he makes restitution to the league before then.

Giron said the league, which charges $110 per youth player, hopes to get its money back from Hoffman in order to run a successful season this year starting this summer. She said HYSL offers teams starting at age 3 1/2 and up to 18.

Kids can choose to join the city program, which is more instructional and non-competitive, or HYSL, which has a slightly more competition oriented focus and is part of the California Youth Soccer League, Giron said. Or kids can join both.

"We want to make sure we're working together with the city and not fighting each other," Evans said. "We're still working out the details."

Giron and Evans, who both work as coaches at Healdsburg High School soccer programs, said the HYSL was there for them when they were growing up and they want to keep it there for kids now.

"HYSL provides another outlet for kids," Giron said. "For kids who love soccer, they need to know that HYSL will always be there to support them--we're not going to fold."

For information or to register, attend Saturday's event at Badger Park or download an application at www.healdsburgsoccer.org.