Submitted by Joshua Benton
(March 17, 2023) — Haddam-Killingworth Soccer Club (HKSC) was founded in 1992, providing young athletes in Connecticut with the opportunity to play soccer and develop essential life skills. However, the club faces volunteer support, funding, and facilities challenges. With limited resources and registration funds, the club needs help to offer the best facilities, training tools, and participation in various leagues and competitions.
One of the critical challenges is the need for a field with permanent lighting. Training availability decreases during fall seasons and Daylight Saving Time, reducing HKSC’s ability to train and compete compared with surrounding towns. Meanwhile, teams in nearby towns can train and compete at night, allowing them to maintain higher skill levels and improve their chances of success. In contrast, HKSC must limit its training and competition during these times, which is an avoidable disadvantage for its players.
HKSC plays an essential role in Haddam and Killingworth, providing children the opportunity to learn soccer and valuable life skills, such as teamwork, dedication and problem-solving. Soccer also promotes exercise and community-building among young people. The camaraderie among the children and families has been an important part of the school year and part of the fabric of our community. We want to ensure that HKSC has the same access to practices, given that other school and town teams also use our fields, significantly limiting the available practice timeslots.
To overcome these challenges, HKSC is hosting a golf tournament at Lyman Orchards Golf Club in Middlefield on July 24, 2023 to raise funds for a lighted field space. This event will enable the community to support the club and its players, helping young athletes develop life skills and enjoy the sport they love.
Supporting HKSC through the golf tournament and investing in its success ensures that future generations can benefit from the club. The community should come together to create better opportunities for their children. For more information, please visit HKsoccer.org.
