Weekly Roundup: International Soccer Edition

Youth soccer players with the Greater Laurel United Soccer Club received a little training from accross the pond last week.

As part of the Challenger Sports program, an organization that does a foreign exchange of coaches to the U.S. from the United Kingdom, the Laurel soccer club received British-style soccer training from coaches for an entire week.

Peter Dittrich, 22, from Black County in Britain, has played socceer on all levels from youth to semi-pro. He was on hand to train players during the past week.

"We [Challenger Sports] are the biggest British soccer coaching camp in America serving more than 120,000 children and we have 1200 coaches,” Dittrich stated.  “It’s great for the kids. Soccer needs to be big in America. The game is on the same kind of scale as the Nation Football League (NFL), and if you get more kids involved, it can grow as big as the NFL."

Vinny Marr, 20, a current coach with Challenger Sports of Ulverston, England and is currently attending the University of Coumbria, studying Sports Studies. Working with children and teaching them the fundamentals of soccer is one of the core principles, he said.

Ryan Thomson, 20, of Cork Ireland stated that working with the children here in America would help him to improve as a coach and also learn the American culture.

“I would like to teach the skills they need to know in game related situations," Thomson said.

Is it closing time for Macy's Department Store at Laurel Mall?

According to the Laurel Leader, the mall's anchor store could set sail to another development outside of the city.

During the City Hall in the Park event last week, Mayor Craig A. Moe said the department store would be torn down as part of the for Laurel Mall. Craig said that the store may find its way to the , a massive mixed-use development set to be built outside of the city.

Read more here.

City to Close Streets During Saturday's Indepdence Day Parade

Drivers coming through the city should steer clear of several streets that are slated to be closed Saturday due to the city's Indepedence Day Parade.

According to the Laurel Leader, Sixth Street will close at 9 a.m. when parade participants gather and line up. When the parade begins at 11 a.m., Montgomery Street will be closed from Sixth to Fourth streets, and Fourth Street will be closed from Montgomery Street to Cherry Lane.

Eastbound Cherry Lane will be closed at Ashford Boulevard at 1 p.m., and westbound Cherry Lane will close at 5 p.m., as required by state and county fire marshals as this area is likely to receive fallout from the fireworks display at Laurel Lakes. No vehicular or pedestrian traffic will be allowed into the area until after the fireworks display is over and the area has been checked for fallout debris (approximately 11 p.m.).

Click here to read more.

Laurel Hospital Rolls Out New Sleep Center

Nap time never look so good at Laurel Regional Hospital Center which unvieled its new sleep center last week.

According to The Gazette, the center features four rooms and nurses stations with plush, earth-tone comforters, paintings, decorative vases and thick blinds to keep out sunlight.

The center will service patients with various sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, insomnia and narcolepsy, are monitored overnight.

Read more here.