GIRLS WORK OFF TURKEY TOGETHER ON SOCCER FIELD.

Byline: Holly Edwards Staff Writer

CANYON COUNTRY - About 400 red-faced, sweat-soaked girls spent most of Saturday kicking, dribbling and shooting soccer balls in the 12th annual Thanksgiving Soccer Fest, affectionately known as the ``turkeyfest.''

Sponsored by the Santa Clarita Valley American Youth Soccer Organization, the event joined girls ages 8 to 13 from all over the valley, most of whom had never played together before.

``They have to learn to play as a team together pretty fast if they're going to pull it off,'' said Cindy Parker, whose 12-year-old daughter, Hillary, plays for the Saugus region. ``And it's interesting to watch the coach try to learn everyone's name.''

Held at Sierra Vista Junior High, the soccer festival was designed to be a day of fun for consistently good players who may not be the stars of their team, said Xavier Baldwin, tournament director.

``They are really good athletes who are always at practice and love to play the game, but they're not necessarily the all-stars,'' Baldwin said. ``They're just players you'd want on your team year after year.''

The games do not count toward tournament standings, he said, and everyone goes home with a medal of some kind.

``It's all strictly for fun,'' Baldwin said. ``Sometimes you see kids really blossom during this event because there's no pressure to win.''

He added that soccer rewards teamwork as much as skill level, and the soccer festival is designed to help the girls learn to play together quickly.

``A team of average players who play well together can often beat a team of more talented players who don't play well together,'' he said.

By midafternoon, many of the girls appeared exhausted but jubilant.

``This is so much fun,'' said 12-year-old Ashley Coffelt of Saugus, who has been playing soccer for five years. ``Soccer is a unique sport, and this is really good practice.''

According to Baldwin, who has coached youth soccer for more than 10 years, soccer helps young people, especially young girls, learn skills they will use throughout their lives.

``It gives them bonds of friendship that last a long time and will help them through the difficult times of junior high,'' he said. ``And you have to be somewhat aggressive to play soccer, so it helps them learn to be more assertive.''

The boys' Thanksgiving Soccer Fest was held Friday.

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Some of the nearly 400 entrants in Saturday's Thanksgiving Soccer Fest at Sierra Vista Junior High in Canyon Country.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News