Tournament play is underway for Kootenay South select players in preparation for playdowns next month.
The season goes by quickly for the young soccer players, who only tried out for the teams in mid-April.
Brett Pedersen, select program co-ordinator for Kootenay South, said each team had about 20 to 25 kids trying out with 16 to 18 making the cut.
Kootenay South covers a wide area, with teams made up of players from Salmo, Fruitvale, Trail, Warfield, Rossland, Castlegar and areas in between.
The teams are strong in the league for younger kids, but boys under 16-18 have been combined with Nelson and there isn’t a girls’ under-18 team this year.
“The high school soccer runs at the same time so once the kids hit about age 16 they tend to drop off,” Pedersen said.
In June, the teams will play against Nelson, Creston, Kootenay East and Columbia Valley in hopes of qualifying for the provincial tournament.
“Basically, the goal is to qualify for the provincials in July,” he said.
Until then, they’ll continue to practice, play practice games against one another and participate in tournaments.
This weekend many of the teams will go to Coeur D’Alene in Idaho, but those that don’t will have a chance to participate in tournaments in Kamloops, Cranbrook, Kelowna, Creston, and Kalispell.
“After provincials most of the teams will go to a summer tournament,” Pedersen said, “but the main focus is between now and the provincials.”