Youth soccer fills the air at The Center

ANNA MARIA – Although the location of the Island’s community center is not literally the center of Anna Maria Island, The Center is the central gathering place for island area families to play sports, see their friends and family, and support the Island as a community.

With the normal cyclical rise and fall in sports participation on the Island, as well as changes in dynamics and demographics on AMI, the number of youth sports participants has diminished to all-time low numbers in recent years. But the feeling of The Center’s athletic fields was alive and electric again last Tuesday night.

As in the classic days of Island youth sports, not a parking spot could be found around 407 Magnolia Ave. Sounds of cheers and the referee’s whistle could be heard from blocks away.

Lawn chairs filled with parents and grandparents lined each of the many soccer fields. Some fans stayed on their feet so they could watch the action on multiple fields.

Grandparents Karen and Mike LaPensee reminisce about the days that their son, Greg, was a kid playing on the community center field. Now the LaPensees’ grandchildren, including Preston, are running the pitch and scoring the goals.

LaPensee scored one goal for Beach Bums along with teammate Noah Shoulson in the tie against Tidy MD in the Wednesday night games, played on back-to-back nights to make up for the rain cancellations from the previous week.

Youth soccer opened to kids as young as 3 years old several years ago with a clinic-type format. Volunteer parent/coaches like PJ Smargisso and Ryan Moss help the very young developing players learn a few critical skills while growing the love of the game.

For years Moss has given back to The Center as a coach for both of his sons’ teams. Mason and Miles Moss have benefited from the years of experience their father has gained over the years, including his time as an adult player in the co-ed soccer league.

In the first game Wednesday night, Mason Moss scored the two goals in the tie ballgame for Tidy MD. Goalkeeping credits were given to Stryder Petit, Andre Harwood and Shane Bradley.

Likewise, Smargisso – who more recently expanded his family with two daughters – has begun volunteering his time as a coach in the clinic level as he continues to play adult soccer himself.

Moss and Smargisso are not the only parent-players who coach and support their kids at The Center on the pitch. At least temporarily hanging up his boots, David Zaccagnino continues to coach his sons, Jesse and Jack.

Longtime Islanders Jason Sato and Scott Rudacille continue the tradition of youth sports at the Island community center with their sons, Dylan and Brandon Sato and Cale and Camden Rudacille, who are playing once again in the youth soccer league.

Sato had six saves for the Beach Bums squad last Wednesday night with a single save by teammate Charlie Serra.

Helping the Blalock Walters team capture the win against AM Bath Time, Cale Rudacille had five saves in the game, playing the key position his father dominated in the co-ed adult soccer league for a number of years.

The Satos and Rudacilles have, for generations, played sports as children and adults on the Island. The Center’s Executive Director, Chris Culhane, is no different.

Culhane spent his youth playing Center sports. Following in his footsteps have been his two daughters, and in the current soccer league, Chris’ son, Maddox, continues to battle it out on the pitch just like his dad, who plays in the adult league.

The tradition of fathers and mothers volunteering to coach their children’s teams continues at The Center. An even stronger tie to the Island’s community center exists as generation after generation of Island area residents, young and old, test their soccer skills on the pitch.