It’s easy to see why the player-friendly Richmond Adult Soccer Association continues to thrive over 50 years since its inception.
The senior men’s soccer organization kicks off its winter season with an Opening Day schedule at South Arm Park on Sunday, featuring First and Second Division games.
The circuit, once known as the Richmond Senior Soccer League, has expanded again with four more teams — one each in the First and Masters Divisions and two in the Second.
The Ex-Patriots Football Club (EPFC) has taken its program into the RASA Winter season and will have the Lions and Panthers competing in the First and Second Divisions respectively.
FC Beaconsfield is another new Second Division Entry while Rain City FC has added the Gunners to the Masters Division.
The latest additions pushes the overall total to 34 clubs and brings the executive’s goal of 40 closer to realization.
That would create 10-team First and Masters Divisions and an additional tier for the Second Division which right now stands at a whopping 16 teams.
So what keeps the RASA trending upwards in a city that has changed dramatically in the last 25 years?
For starters, soccer’s multi-cultural appeal certainly doesn’t hurt but it’s the structure and consistency that are perhaps the biggest lure of all.
Games are essentially played on set days — Thursday nights for Masters, Friday nights for First Division and Sundays for Second Division. The league also looks after all field allocations for games.
At one point, there was a requirement a team’s roster must include a minimum number of players from Richmond. That rule has since been removed and it has led to more Vancouver teams coming onboard.
“If you are playing in the (Vancouver Metro Soccer League) then you are going to have to go through (city parks) and get a field to play your home games. That’s easier said than done these days,” said first-year RASA president Sean Handlin. “We are finding more Vancouver teams are coming here to play for not only that reason but also the consistency of our schedule and there is no travelling involved.
“Players know where and when they are playing every week and that’s a big advantage.”
Handlin is expecting another highly competitive campaign after a 2017-18 season that saw just seven points separate the top four teams in the First Division.
West Coast FC will begin its title defence against Club Ireland Celtic at noon at South Park.
Two years ago, PCHL Pacific Dragon was relegated to the Second Division but wasted no time in earning promotion with a sparkling 15-3-1 campaign. They will see how they stack up in the First Division again with a Sunday tilt against AC Richmond at 2 p.m.
Opening Day will be the only time to see First Division teams on the weekend before their schedule shift to Friday nights, starting Sept 14.
Masters Division play begins Sept. 13 with defending champion Richmond Old Blacks looking to continue where they left off against the Flying Beaver Pub. They enjoyed an unbeaten regular season with a 16-0-2 record.
Corner kicks….
There will also be a number of local teams launching their VMSL and Metro Women’s Soccer League seasons this weekend.
Among them is Richmond FC Hibernian opening its VMSL Premier Division schedule in Newton against CCM Langley United. Home games are typically Friday nights (9 p.m.) at the Minoru Oval.
MWSL Premier Division powerhouse Richmond FC opens its season in North Vancouver on Sunday against the NSGSC Renegades. Home games for the 2016 national runners-up are Saturdays 2 p.m. at Minoru.
