By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

PELHAM—Pelham and the YMCA are partnering to bring a competitive youth soccer league to the city. Pelham and YMCA officials confirm the two parties have been meeting to plan the new league.

“Other communities, like Alabaster, have competitive teams, but Pelham doesn’t,” said Pelham YMCA sports director, Erin Brown.

Using models from other communities such as Montgomery, the YMCA and the city are working to form a competitive league for boys and girls starting as young as eight-years-old and continuing through high school.

“We really want to give all of our kids an opportunity to play,” Brown said, emphasizing registration in the early stages of the league will be open to all skill levels.

Brown hopes to field five teams of around 15 players each to compete with neighboring teams, with the eventual goal of playing against teams from across the state.

“We’re hoping to make this a travel league, exposing our children to more teams and giving them a greater opportunity to compete,” Brown said.

“It’s been a team effort,” said Pelham Parks and Recreation director, Billy Crandall. “We’re still in the very early stages.”

Brown said the YMCA and Pelham planners are aiming to have the league ready for either the coming fall or spring of 2015.