Mother Lode Youth Soccer League opening day in Howard Park showed some of the reasons the family-friendly league has become so popular among Amador County’s young families. Coach Megan Eckhart of the Dwight Jennings DDS Ione Blizzards and her players’ parents formed a bridge at the sideline for the Blizzards to run through. And their foes, the Pizza Factory Ione Bandits also ran through the bridge -- to cheers, despite the Blizzards winning the match, 3-0. Eckhart is a 12th year coach in the MLYSL. She said she didn’t even have her own kids when she started coaching. Now she has four children, including two in the league – Corey, 7, of the U-8 Blizzards, and another on the U-6 Guard Dogs.

Daniele Molin is another parent-coach, assisting with the Blizzards and the U-6 Guard Dogs. Her son, Micah is a Blizzard. And her future player, Corra, 4 weeks old, she held on the sidelines. Molin has been coaching for five years. Michelle Moreno has been involved in MLYSL soccer for 10 years, now with her sons, Christopher, 9, and Kyle, 11, playing on teams. Moreno is one of the volunteer board members and is registrar of the league. All of her children started in the league at age 4, including Cody, 16, now trying out for the Thundering Herd soccer team at Amador High School. Coaches among the league’s ranks include Argonaut High School varsity coach Roque (Rocky) Mireles (also a parent), Argonaut JV coach and volunteer board member Mark Herberger, and Amador head soccer coach Tod Ruslender and JV coach Barron Peterson. Ruslender is president of the board and a coach and Peterson is also a board member and referees matches in the Saturday league.