Something was missing.
Among the various sports programs for Covington children, there was no soccer for kids who want to be the next Christian Pulisic or Rose Lavelle and someday hoist the World Cup – or simply play for the joy of the sport.
Mike Waugh, a member of the Covington Recreation Commission, started the Northern Kentucky Gunners (nkygunners.com) program last year. About 90 kids in grades kindergarten to third participated on 10 co-ed teams this spring, with a fall schedule planned.
“Between kindergarten and 3rd grade, in Northern Kentucky, a lot of kids have a chance to go play sports and soccer regularly in that age group,” Waugh says. “And in Covington, it’s just not as readily available, and it may not be affordable for many.”
Waugh said players have varying skill levels.
“We have recreation players,” Waugh said. “We have select players, and as we build things out, I think we’ll have really competitive teams in all the levels and potentially even pathways for further development beyond select.”
NKY Gunners Athletic Club (nkygunners.com), based in Bromley, started last year from the foundation of Ludlow Youth Soccer.
The club offers: instructional, recreational and select outdoor programs for children ages 6 and up; indoor soccer; individual and group training; and futsal, an indoor version of soccer played on a hard court.
Covington Parks and Recreation Department manager Greg Stacy said this summer’s FIFA World Cup and next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil have increased interest in soccer.
“There’s also a large Latino, Hispanic community in Covington, so there’s always just the need for soccer in this community,” Stacy said. “But the World Cup definitely brought a lot more eyes. I see more kids playing in the parks, playing soccer.”
Covington City Commissioner Tim Acri said the program is limited to children who attend Covington Independent or parochial schools.
“There are some organizations that run programming in Covington,” Waugh said, “but I think there was an opportunity for us, as the (recreation) committee, to try to start something that is community- and school- focused, that provides a cost-effective … and somewhere that the kids could enjoy and be able to play from a younger age.”
The City of Covington pays for the league. Games were played at Holmes High School in the spring, but Stacy said a fall league site could be determined within the next two weeks; he said Meinken Field on Eastern Avenue and Bill Cappel Sports Complex in Latonia are possibilities if returning to Holmes doesn’t work out.
“It’ll be in Covington for sure,” Acri said. “We’re trying to figure out what the (Covington Independent) school system is okay with … There’s just always facility stress in athletics and with it being football season, obviously, there needs to be a good focus on football and high school and middle school teams, and Holmes trying to get some new blood in with their coaching staff and just get some positive momentum going there.”
For more information, call Jeff Wallace at 513-835-2947 or email mwaugh@nkygunners or recsoccer@nkygunners.com.
