By Chris Bavender
Peter O’Scanaill has been playing soccer since he was a kid in West Ireland.
“We didn’t have the luxury of nice complexes and fields. We played in any space we could, mostly the street,” he said. “That’s kind of the beauty of soccer. All you need is a ball and a little bit of space, and that’s what we did. We simply played for the fun of it.”
O’Scanaill still plays and coaches. Now he’s added another level to his passion for the sport as the new executive director of the Zionsville Youth Soccer Association.
“I wanted the opportunity to take what is a great club and look at the future as to the incoming group of players, etc.,” he said. “This area is just growing and growing and there is bound to be another 400 or 500 kids looking for a place to play soccer, and I wanted to be part of the future growth of soccer in this community.”
Since 2010, O’Scanaill has served as a coach and travel committee member at ZYSA and previously served as travel commissioner and youth academy director for another central Indiana soccer club. He also was part of an area sporting organization that built an annual charity soccer event, raising more than $100,000 for the Ronald McDonald House.
In his new role, O’Scanaill said he wants to “establish a culture where every kid matters.”
“No matter what level they play at, they know they matter,” he said. “I will look two or three years down the road and see what the future needs of the community might be and then make sure we have the right coaches and right curriculum so we can meet the needs of all the incoming players.”
O’Scanaill plans to play a very active role in his new position with ZYSA and ensure he is interacting with state associations and other clubs, the parks departments and other groups the organization could potentially partner with.
He believes soccer programs – and other youth programs – are important for today’s youth.
“It provides kids with a place to come and relieve all of this stress and pressure life can give them just from growing up,” he said. “They want to belong to a team, have teammates, make friends and exercise. Soccer is a simple game when it comes to rules and regulations. You pass the ball around and get it in the goal. It’s not complicated. It’s free flowing. Plus anyone can play. You don’t have to be 6’10” or 350 pounds.”
