Soccer may be the fastest-growing sport among young Canadians, but Hawkesbury, Ont., is bucking that trend.
The organization that runs the eastern Ontario town's youth recreational soccer program is calling it quits.
The PRO17 Soccer Association made the decision at its annual meeting on January 24. The program included five age groups from U6 to U16.
Organizers said volunteers are becoming scarce, and only three of the five positions on the association's board have been filled.
"Unfortunately, we are not able to find a new generation," said Jason Golden, a parent and volunteer.
Numbers down
Player registration has also declined from 614 in 2015 to just 402 last year.
The chair of the board, Christine Gascon, said she hopes the cancellation will act as a wake-up call to parents.
"I just hope the flame of soccer does not go out, and that people continue to believe that it can exist," Gascon told Radio-Canada in French.
The association's four competitive teams — U9, U12 and U15 boys and U14 girls — will continue to play in Hawkesbury.
Hawkesbury's PRO17 Soccer Association decided to end the youth recreation program at its meeting Jan. 24. (Radio-Canada/Denis Babin )
