CAYSA, JAOSA TO LAUNCH SPRING REGISTRATIONS

In just a matter of weeks, area soccer fields in both Cape Girardeau and Jackson will be buzzing with activity as approximately 1,800 young players show off their skills.

The Cape Area Youth Soccer Association (CAYSA) and the Jackson Area Optimist Soccer Association (JAOSA) will both be holding signups for their spring seasons over the next two weeks, with play scheduled to begin in early March. The season runs through the middle of May.

In Cape Girardeau, all CAYSA games are played on the several fields at Shawnee Park. The league is open for boys and girls in pre-kindergarten and eighth grade.

The pre-kindergarten teams are all coed. All the kindergarten through eighth grade divisions also have all-girls teams and coed teams, although Chuck Meyer, one of the league's directors, said the majority of the coed teams for K-8 are all-boys squads.

"Girls are allowed to play with the boys, but generally only a few do," Meyer said. "It's basically girls and boys teams."

Meyer said that last spring, close to 900 youngsters participated and he expects at least that many this spring. CAYSA also has a fall league.

"Our spring season always has more players than in the fall," said Meyer. "The kids really have a lot of fun. It's great the kids can develop skills at a young age. In most other sports, they don't have the opportunity to do that."

Added Meyer, "You can really see the kids develop in the sport over the years. They really improve as time goes on."

In Jackson, the JAOSA plays its games on the fields at both the Jackson City Park and the Jackson Soccer Park. Like the CAYSA, close to 900 players are expected to participate.

The JAOSA is open to boys and girls in kindergarten through eighth grade. The kindergarten division features coed teams while all the other grades split their teams into all-boys and all-girls.

"It's a good opportunity and a great way for the kids to really learn and get a lot of valuable playing experience," said JAOSA director Tom Sprandel. "The kids really enjoy the sport and it's neat to see them grow from year to year. So many of the same kids play each year."

* CAYSA registration will be Jan. 24 and Jan. 31. from noon to 5 p.m. inside West Park Mall at the JC Penney entrance.

For more information, call Meyer at 334-2549 or Reid Willen at 651-3596.

* JAOSA registration, at Main Street Fitness in Jackson, will be Jan. 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Jan. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m.; and Jan. 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information, call Sprandel at home (243-4065) or work (243-9533).