Springs Soccer Club wins Coral Springs travel program bid. Here are the details

After months of controversy, a Coral Springs selection committee chose Springs Soccer Club to run the city’s official travel soccer program.

Committee members discussed what they saw as the benefits and drawbacks of each of the three finalists: Fort Lauderdale United, Parkland Travel Soccer and Springs Soccer Club.

Maintaining a sense of community was top of mind.

“A lot of times, it’s easier to go with the flashier, shinier group that can offer you more. I also think there’s something to be said about a group that’s establishing themselves,” Parks and Recreation employee services manager Jason Walsh said.

“We want them to work with [Parks and] Rec. Those kids can grow up and work through the system, give a group or a team the opportunity to grow, to establish that feel of team and unity.”

Officials will spend the next week finalizing the details of the deal, which will be up for a vote at the May 6 City Commission meeting.

Why Springs Soccer Club was chosen

Members praised Springs Soccer Club for its close relationship with the city since its infancy.

“I appreciate that they’re homegrown,” Parks and Recreation administrator Fiorella Lavena said during the selection committee’s discussion. “I also see that they are committed to the city.”

The committee also highlighted Springs Soccer Club’s stated focus on players’ personal growth in addition to strong competition.

One concern, Coral Springs Police Department officer Bill Capplis said, was that because the process was delayed, many kids may have already chosen to try out for other teams.

Members also mentioned that Springs Soccer Club had some bridges to mend with Coral Springs Youth Soccer, the city’s recreational provider. They did not elaborate on the specific issues at play.

In the end, though, Springs Soccer Club was selected.

“They’ve been here six years. They have been growing with the city,” Walsh said. “I’d like to see what they can do.”