Drone Soccer Club Ready for Takeoff in Vegreville

Drone Soccer Club Ready for Takeoff in Vegreville

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

Project Safe Canada is teaming up with the Town of Vegreville to bring drone soccer to youth in the community.

Project Safe Director Tom Hall has an extensive background in the security field, and says the non-profit organization is very community orientated, which lends itself to this type of partnership.

“With the research that we’re doing on the drones and its application in the security field we’ve chanced on so many other areas where a drone has an application or potential application and that’s where we found Vegreville.”

Hill said they were looking for some space, and saw a Town of Vegreville brochure which featured the airport as one of its amenities. Initial discussion, led to further discussions. “We kind of came together with the people in Vegreville.

As we were doing our research we came upon a group in the States that had correlated education and recreation with drones through an activity called drone soccer. Talking with the folks in Vegreville we brought up the subject and what it can do in youth development. Bob Bezpalko was very kind to introduce us to Julie, and we sat down and talked about the appropriateness of this kind of activity for some of the things she was considering.”

Photos from United States Drone Soccer

Julie Gottselig, Vegreville & District Family and Community Support Services Director, stated, “Of course, Vegreville & District FCSS, part of our mandate is youth development and youth engagement. And also, the volunteer engagement part. It was a great collaboration between Project Safe, FCSS and Economic Development with the support of the Town of Vegreville.

Hill said they found the best place to start is to have a discussion, particularly at the community level and introduce the youth to the concept. They, (youth) will learn how to build the drones, program the drones, learn how to fly the drones, and compete.”

Gottselig said, the role of FCSS in the collaboration is recruiting and training the instructors that will train the students in the operation and administration of the drones. “For anybody out there, all they need to have is an interest in drones and technology. They don’t have to have any prior experience.

At this point we are recruiting volunteer trainers or instructors, and we’ve started that process. The second phase is to put out registration in the community for students. Anyone aged 12 and older can participate and become a member of the drone club.”

Photos from United States Drone Soccer

FCSS’ involvement in this it’s really important that we touch on those positive outcomes from our perspective; building connections and that sense of belonging in our youth. The pandemic was tough on our youth and we were concerned, all of us in our community about youth in their isolation, their lack of connection. So, I think this is really great and it’s exciting that youth will have an opportunity in a different way to come together and build on the STEM skills, but their social skills. It really does strengthen our youth leadership and mentorship skills as well. That’s really part of our outcomes in FCSS.”

Hill said the opportunities for drones and their uses and applications are endless. “When you put it in the hands of a 12 or 13 year old they can be very creative in what it is they’re wanting to do and showing it.”