2006 has been filled with a number of big changes for EUSA. From a revitalized approach to developing our players in the youngest age groups to the launching this, our new, website, the membership of EUSA can see that a lot is going on with the Club. For those of us whose children have gone through a decade of participating in EUSA, 2006 marked one of the most anticipated changes of all for EUSA: The creation of EUSA’s official home in Edison Township, the Spencer Rockman Soccer Complex. Named in honor of EUSA’s Founder and local NJ soccer celebrity, the Spencer Rockman Soccer Complex has been something long dreamed about that is finally seeing the light of day.
Once upon a time...
Many years ago, children in EUSA’s travel soccer program played on fields that were located near the NJ Motor Vehicles Inspection Station on Kilmer Road South. EUSA had been in talks with the Township to built a more permanent facility there, but as with many projects that involve large tracts of land, there was a lot of red tape to cut through. First there was getting the deed to the land transferred from the government to
Edison
Township . While that was going on, it was discovered that the soil on the property did not meet the newer, and tougher, laws regarding the presence of potentially hazardous materials on land that would be used regularly as a park.
Edison
Township worked wih the Federal agencies overseeing the project and got the area cleaned up and work finally began on the new complex. After meeting with a number of EUSA’s Executive Board members to determine what was needed to make this a great place for our players to use, the Township enlisted an army of architects, planners, and construction workers to get the ball rolling (pun intended).
Welcome to our Clubhouse
The most visible sign of progress was the erecting of the new clubhouse that EUSA’s administrators will call home. Situated between the two full-sized / full-sided fields that will be lighted to allow games to be played at night, the clubhouse will become the center of EUSA’s universe. On the first floor, the clubhouse houses separate bathrooms for men and women, a concession stand, storage space, and a large storage area. Located on the second floor, a large meeting room and smaller office are joined by a large observation deck that EUSA officials can use to oversee the use of the fields, especially during tournaments, something EUSA has wanted to host for a long time.
As said before, the clubhouse will figure prominently in EUSA’s future. Currently, EUSA has to arrange space and time at both the
Minnie
B.
Veal
Recreation
Center and
Stelton
Community Center . This isn’t always easy, as the increasing population in
Edison has resulted in more recreation and youth sports groups seeking to use the same facilities for their own purposes. The EUSA Clubhouse will allow us to schedule functions such as in-person registration for our Recreation League and Micro-Soccer Program, or certification classes for coaches and referees at any time that we want.
Room to run (and run, and run)
The two fields that the clubhouse will sit between are being built as full-sized / full-sided pitches (meaning 11v11 game formats). The long term plan is to set up these fields that they could be used for a variety of game formats, allowing everything from small-sided games for Kindergarten and 1st graders/2nd graders(sorry at this time 3rd graderswill still have to play else where) to games for 4th graders and older . An irrigation system has been installed to help ensure that we can grow the grass on the field without worrying about droughts. Lighting towers have been erected to illuminate both fields so that games could be played even after the sun goes down. This is very helpful for those rare occasions where it may be necessary to host a game late in the day during the Fall season, or the aforementioned training classes for coaches and referees which usually run from 6pm until 9pm.
Follow the bouncing ball…
Come back to this web article for updates on the new Spencer Rockman Soccer Complex, including pictures of the work in progress. We hope you’ll get as excited about this project as we are.
It looks to be in its final stages
If all goes well we will will have the use of the fields and club house early spring 2008
