Soccer Symposium Task Force Report

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REPORT TO THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FROM THE SOCCER SYMPOSIUM TASK FORCE Background Over the last three decades, there has been growing interest and participation in the sport of soccer in Orange County. Spurred by the development of instructional programs and league play, inspired by the unmatched success of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill women's soccer program, and boosted by new immigrants to the area for whom soccer is an integral part of the culture, competition has intensified for the use of limited fields within the county. In the fall of 1999, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners received several requests to address the need for improved soccer facilities. Further, the county's Economic Development Commission and the Recreation and Parks Advisory Council endorsed the idea of establishing an organizing committee to promote a meeting of various interest groups to discuss soccer interest and needs. Accordingly, in November the Board of County Commissioners authorized the creation of a task force that would be responsible for hosting a soccer symposium at which all interested parties could express their needs and concerns. The working charge of the task force provided a broad framework for discussing the issues at the symposium, including: • current private and public soccer resources and facilities; • demand for additional resources by type and location within the county; • alternatives for public/private coordination, cooperation and funding for additional resources that are identified; • means for broadening participation; and • the possibility for multi-purpose fields. The Soccer Symposium Task Force was also charged with summarizing and organizing what was presented at the symposium and making recommendations to the Commissioners, to the towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, to the school boards for the Chapel Hill- Carrboro City Schools and the Orange County Schools, and to advisory boards such as the Orange County Economic Development Commission and Recreation and Parks Advisory Council. As specified in the resolution authorizing creation of the task force, membership was to include representatives from at least the following groups: *Orange County Recreation and Parks Advisory Council *Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Commission *Carrboro Recreation and Parks Commission *Hillsborough Recreation Board *Orange County Economic Development Commission *Orange County School Board *Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board *Rainbow Soccer *Durham-Chapel Hill Strikers *Liga Hispana (now disbanded) *Carolina United (now Triangle Futbol)