The Pearl River Soccer Club was founded in 2014, and although it wasn’t the first club in the area, it’s still going strong today and club President Larry Davis is excited about the organization’s growth.

“Our numbers are up 20 percent this year and we had a full staff for the club, we had every position covered,” Davis said.

“I think part of that is because the people involved in the club really want to see it move forward.”

Davis said the main reason behind that drive is many parents in the community have seen the benefits in registering their children in soccer at a young age.

“They want their kids to do something not on the street,” Davis said.

“So they’ll say ‘Well let’s do this for the kids’ and it wasn’t working before, but we put some little band aids on things and I think a lot of people in the area have been making progress.”

The purpose of the league has been to provide people of all ages, from 6U teams to adult squads, the opportunity to play soccer in recreational and competitive settings.

Davis said he believes the organization’s numbers increase comes down to the accessibility of the program for people in the community.

“Boys, girls, anybody can play, no matter what walk of life they’re from,” Davis said.

“They’re accepted here.”

Additionally, Davis said the benefits of having children play soccer are numerous.

“The biggest thing they get out of it, besides physical education which is huge, is team building,” Davis said.

“They learn how to play and work as a team and learn how to win and lose.”

These lessons benefit the athletes not only in their sporting ventures, but also reflect on life as a whole.

“It teaches you a lot about life in general,” Davis said.

“In life you’ll win some and lose some.”

That’s another reason why Davis wants the club to keep growing. Not only does it provide a physical outlet for community members, but it also teaches valuable life lessons.

“We grew 20 percent this year, and I’m looking to get another 15 percent,” Davis said.

“If I can get more than that I’ll be happier than heck. We’re going to bring a bunch of players back.”

This increase in the player base has caused the organization to seek opportunities for expansion.These projects include field upgrades, park expansions, and a brick fence with netting to prevent stray balls from hitting cars in the parking lot.

“We have plans for the fields and we’re working with the city to resod the fields,” Davis said.

“We’re trying to open the area at the park, to expand and open more fields at the back for more availability for playing and practice.”

Registration for the club opens on July 20 and the registration is available both online and in person at the club, Davis said.

Not only that, but there are plans to hold an opening day tournament with events to go along with the soccer games that will be played.

“The opening tournament will be a fun day with 3v3 and 7v7 games,” Davis said.

“The larger kids will play 11v11 games.”

The club is also planning its first Mardi Gras Cup Tournament, which will take place in February of 2020.

To register go to www.prscms.com.

Registration will last for four weeks after it opens.