The Prince Rupert Youth Soccer Association (PRYSA) has received the green light to begin constructing the “Ts’mtsaaw” project, Northern B.C.’s first dedicated futsal facility.
“Ts’mtsaaw” is an intrinsic verb in the Sm’algyax language of the Ts’msyen people, meaning “to be inside.”
“When finished, this unique facility will enhance the local development of our youth players, officials and volunteer-certified grassroots coaches,” said William Gye, vice president of PRYSA.
Futsal is a fast-paced variant of soccer, generally played indoors on a much smaller court with five players per side, a smaller, less bouncy ball and a smaller net.
Gye noted that Prince Rupert receives more than 100 inches of rain annually and, alongside Merritt, has the province’s shortest outdoor soccer season at just eight weeks. This highlights the importance of year-round access to futsal, and adding it to the program extends PRYSA’s soccer offerings to 30 weeks each year.
PRYSA is a not-for-profit that promotes and develops soccer in Prince Rupert. It is a licensed club with BC Soccer Association, which has more than 400 registered players and a small group of coaches.
“We’re hoping to be operational early in fall of 2025. So we’re excited about that. Prince Rupert Youth Soccer Association’s mission statement is to build capacity within the community, to build our community, and that’s what we’re doing here,” said Gye.
The new facility is being constructed at 181 George Hills Way, featuring a 5,000-square-foot Sport Court multipurpose surface available to individuals of all ages.
The PRYSA board has been developing Project Ts’mtsaaw since 2022, funding it entirely through reserve funds, grants, and donations from local businesses and community members. Gye notes that the association set a six-figure fundraising goal and has successfully secured 75 per cent of the total to date.
The association has held indoor soccer sessions at local elementary schools for the past four years. Now, with its own dedicated facility, PRYSA will be able to offer sessions at more convenient times, host regional tournaments, and welcome players from across northern B.C.
The court is being built to industry-standard design specifications, ensuring a significantly safer playing environment for athletes.
PRYSA also plans to rent the facility to other organizations, supporting activities, including pickleball, archery, lacrosse, adaptive soccer and more.
“I think it’ll be a very successful project. And again, it’ll expand our programming and development opportunities for our local and regional players, coaches and officials,” said Gye.
