NHYA: News and Events

We take these findings by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services seriously and have carefully considered a variety of options, including canceling the fall soccer season altogether. We have come to the conclusion if the necessary precautions are taken – meaning doing everything we can to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes that transmit EEE – the children of North Hampton can continue playing soccer this fall in a safe and enjoyable environment. 

It is important to note children should continue playing at the discretion of their parents. The NHYA is neither encouraging nor discouraging anyone from participating in soccer; rather we are making you aware of the current situation and recommending you do what is best for your family. Among the precautions we can all take, according to information posted online by the State of N.H. DHHS, are:

• If possible, stay inside between dusk and dark, when mosquitoes are most active.
• When outside between dusk and dark, wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts.
• Use an insect repellent with DEET according to manufacturer's directions when outside.
• Put screens on windows and make sure they do not have holes.
• Eliminate standing water from your property.

 Based on this information, we have adjusted the timeframes within which games and practices can be held. That includes all North Hampton Sting games played under the umbrella of the New Hampshire Seacoast Youth Soccer League. No games or practices will be held prior to 9 a.m., and no games or practices will take place after 6 p.m. 

The K-2 soccer program starting time on Saturday mornings has been pushed back to 10 a.m., and activities will continue at Knowles Field. Based on the information we received from Dragon Mosquito Control, there is no benefit to switching play to another field such as Dearborn Park. The entire Seacoast area and the town of North Hampton are equally at risk, so again, we must take precautions regardless of where we are. 

A 4-year-old soccer program will not be offered this fall since there were no available time slots based on the readjusted schedules for Sting and K-2. We apologize for any inconveniences or disappointment this may cause, but we feel it is in the best interests of our children’s safety. Additionally, Dragon Mosquito Control has been spraying Knowles Field every two weeks and will now do so every week.  We encourage parents to discuss this issue with your children, and continue playing at your own discretion. But whether your child is playing soccer or not, we also encourage you to take the necessary precautions to avoid exposure to EEE.  

We are not the authority on this subject, so for more information on EEE prevention, please visit the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services website at www.dhhs.nh.gov, or call the DHHS information line at 1-866-273-6453.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. If we work together, we can continue to make the fields of North Hampton safe for our children.

Sincerely,

North Hampton Youth Association

NORTH HAMPTON – The North Hampton Youth Association is accepting signups for the 2009 fall soccer season. All North Hampton boys and girls entering kindergarten through grade 2 in September 2009 are eligible to play. North Hampton kindergarten’s age cut-off date indicates a student must be 5 years old by Sept. 30, 2009, and NHYA soccer’s policy is consistent with that.

The program begins Sept. 5 at 9 a.m. on Knowles Field in North Hampton. The registration fee is $50 per player. Visit http://www.eteamz.com/NHYA/handouts/ for a registration form. Completed forms with an enclosed check made payable to NHYA can be mailed to: NHYA Registrar, c/o Heidi Nigro, 11 Grandview Terrace, North Hampton, NH 03862.

Contact soccer commissioner Dave MacArthur by phone at 964-8871 or 498-8942, or via e-mail at david.macarthur@comcast.net for more information.

NORTH HAMPTON – The North Hampton Youth Association is looking for a dedicated resident to lead its board of directors.

    For those unaware of what exactly the NHYA does, it is a nonprofit organization that organizes and oversees all of the town’s youth sports leagues and any related business matters and administrative work. It is run completely by volunteers from the community, meaning there are no paid staff members, and the focus is on programs designed for pre-K (age 4) through sixth-grade students.

    Anyone with interest in learning more about the position of president, or contributing to the NHYA Board of Directors in another way, is encouraged to contact a member of the NHYA's Board of Directs. See the home page of this site for contact information.