Atlanta Soccer News: Art, Music and Culture: Tift Area Soccer Association (TASA) is reforming to meet the demands of those interested in learning to play the game.

TIFTON — The Tift County School system has been blessed with much success on the soccer fields the past few years and in an effort to build upon that success, the Tift Area Soccer Association (TASA) is reforming to meet the demands of those interested in learning to play the game.  In conjunction with the school system, two new teams have been formed under a model that is different from what is currently offered by local clubs.

“We saw a large gap developing in the numbers of kids who were playing travel soccer in Tift County, and something had to be done,” said Tift County High Girls Head Coach Doug Head.  “The life blood of success on the school teams is through those students that play soccer not just in the spring with the schools, but through the additional work that is done in the off-season and in fall leagues.”

Current options for children who wish to play soccer are through the Tift County Recreation Department up to the age of 12 and at younger ages through the YMCA.  After the age of 12, the only options have been either with South Georgia United (SGU) based out of Valdosta, or with Associated Soccer Group (ASG), based out of Moultrie.  Unfortunately, the clubs require travel and financial commitments that some have found difficult to meet.

“What we are offering through TASA is an option that costs dramatically less and will require less travel, but at the same time the program provides intensive skills training and options to play different types of soccer games to develop soccer players more completely,” said Club President Emily Head.  “It is the ability of our program to work individually with each player to strength those areas of weakness that sets us apart from other programs.”

The new TASA is designed around a format that creates teams at two separate levels:  middle school-aged players and high school-aged players.  “Our format provides a way for those players who wish to play school ball to play with many of the same people that they will be playing with in school season,” said the Club President.  The concept is rapidly spreading throughout South Georgia, with similar programs having sprung up in Valdosta, Cairo, Brunswick and Thomasville after learning of the developments in Tifton.  “We had to have a way to develop a program that would allow us to compete with the Atlanta-area schools, where soccer players play together year-round.”

Players in the program are benefiting greatly with advancement in skills that are catching the attention of large clubs playing at very high levels across state lines.  “It is our goal to get players ready to play at advanced levels,” said Eighth Street Middle coach Jake Chitty. “We have already been able to place players in programs that play in much higher levels than would have been previously available to them:  Sarah Alberson is now playing for an Atlanta club at the highest level of play in the Regional Premier League; Marianne Walker and Cassidy Ingram are to be regular guest players for an Athena A level club out of Jacksonville, and Betsy Brooks will be doing the same for the Golden Isles soccer club.”

“For TASA, and for me,” said Coach Head, “it is all about what is best for the kids.  If that means them playing for someone else when they are ready, then I am as excited for them as a mama bird is for her baby bird when they leave the nest and soar to greater heights.”

If you are interested in playing for TASA and are a student in the Tift County School System, contact any of the coaches at the various schools and they will be happy to assist you in making that happen.