The Portage Blaze Women's Soccer Team will be taking some time off this summer.

Unfortunately, the Blaze will not be competing in the Winnipeg Women's Soccer League this summer.

"We will be taking a hiatus from the league for a few key reasons," says coach Bryan Mintenko. "I'll be moving closer to Brandon to become a Recreation Director, and I was not able to find someone to take over the management duties. Also, the numbers of female soccer players in the area have also decreased to the point that we are unable to field a roster. I understand that MacGregor will not have a women's team this summer either, which is an indication of the demographics in the central region right now."

Over the past few years, the Blaze had to add more players from Winnipeg to field a full roster, which defeats the purpose of the program as a Portage-based club according to Mintenko.

"The intent of the team when it was created in 2001 was to give Portage and area players the opportunity to play in a competitive league. We attempted to create a legacy from the Manitoba Games by keeping the U-14 Central Region girl's soccer team together to enter the Winnipeg Youth Soccer Association (WYSA) league, however, our application was denied."

He adds an all-girls competitive youth team would have helped to keep the girls playing soccer throughout their teens and high school years, and perhaps many would have continued on to play women's soccer in Portage. I can only describe the decision by WYSA as a narrow-minded one based on 'perimeter-itis'.

This summer, the Blaze will still operate the Central Plains Cup on June 10 & 11, which will feature a men's and women's division. The Portage Fusion men's team will co-host the event with the Portage Blaze, who will assemble a team from Portage area players and Winnipeg players. The tournament will also feature the Portage Avalanche alumni team. The Avalanche was a youth boys team that was formed for the 1996 MB Summer Games, which continued on to compete within WYSA from 1996 - 1999. More information about the Central Plains Cup will be provided in May.

The Blaze will also enter the annual Kenora tournament in July. Mintenko believes the Blaze will be back in the WWSL once the numbers in the area bounce back.