On Tuesday, the Troy Recreation department kicked off its annual fall soccer season, however the festivities should have begun a day earlier.

Due to lightening, the originally planned opening day was pushed back and Parks and Recreations Director Dan Smith was happy the weather finally cooperated. “I think everyone was anxious to play. Everyone seemed to be having a great time [on Tuesday],” Smith said about opening night. The department, which has been around since 1990, has close to 360 kids playing this season.

Last season, there were around 387.

“[Soccer is such a wonderful sport,” Smith said.

“It is really different from other sports like baseball or softball because it requires a lot of running and participation, which is really good for children to be a part of.” There are four different ages categories for children to participate in. There is a 13-and-under league, 9-and-under league, 7-and-under league and a 5-and-under league.

Each of the leagues will run from September to late October.

“Recreational sports are a chance for the entire family to be involved with one another,” Smith said. “Soccer is a sport that provides tremendous exercise, it is great for coordination and really helps kids develop as they grow up. “It is a very important part of the recreation center,” he added. The games are played the Troy Sportsplex where there are three full-sized soccer fields.

The center’s Youth Sports Coordinator David Dickey said that even though Troy may be a baseball town in some people’s eyes, the soccer programs here are also very successful. “We have a lot of well rounded teams that compete here,” Dickey said. “There are a lot of good athletes and coaches here and our teams always represent us well when it comes to the state tournaments.”