Josh Beavers | Special to the Minden Press-Herald
Lakeside is joining the growing list of area schools that offer soccer to students.
With the start of the new school year, Lakeside will field inaugural teams for both junior high boys and girls. High school teams will come at a later date. The Webster Parish School Board approved the creation during Monday night’s monthly board meeting.
Coach Eric Smith, who also serves as a math teacher, will oversee the programs. He is also the school’s cross country coach.
“Soccer has really grown in popularity,” Smith told us. “No experience is necessary. We want this to take off and be a very popular sport at our school.”
And the response so far?
“Excellent,” he said.
As of The last day of school, more than 40 students had signed up for tryouts, and Smith said he expects more.
Principal Denny Finley is hopeful the soccer program will grow and thrive and soon spread to the high schoolers. Expansion of the sports programs and student organizations has been one his priorities since becoming principal more than five years ago.
“Every student should have an extracurricular activity they want to participate in,” Finley told us. “School is more than class. School is about friends and memories and helping young people find positive things that interest them.”
Finley is proud that the school has such excellent teachers who want to give these kids experiences that go beyond science, reading, and math.
“Every time you see a sport or event, there is a teacher behind that giving up time away from family in order to help our students,” he said. “We have new clubs and more in the planning. It’s always a great day to be a Warrior.”