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About VSO
The Vicksburg Soccer Organization (VSO) began in 1974. Dr. Don Rathburn is credited with being the organizer, but much credit belongs to countless others. VSO was the first organized soccer organization in the state, and, as a result, enjoyed much early success. The first teams were formed around the local schools because each one had athletic fields available and there was a lot of school pride. Grammar Schools such as Jett, Culkin, and Redwood had been High Schools before consolidation, and each school had it's own football field from the old days. Those fields made ideal soccer fields to start the new organization. The Grand Gulf power station was under construction and there were many foreign workers there. Some of those were former World Cup and/or professional players from England, Egypt, Turkey, and Italy. The Waterways Experiment Station also had a large number of active duty military personnel assigned who had soccer experience in other parts of the United States as well as from foreign service. These people played in the adult league and assisted many of our teams as coaches. In those days, when VSO did not have their own fields, the League Directors had to get out very early every Saturday morning and prepare their fields (put up nets, flags, and line the fields), and the few Referees worked all day to cover the matches. Then the nets and flags had to be taken down and stored away for the next week.
In the 1980's, our grammar schools began to consolidate, Grand Gulf was completed, and the number of soldiers at Waterways Experiment Station was reduced significantly. As the schools consolidated, buildings were demolished or sold. North Vicksburg HS and South Vicksburg HS combined at what is now VHS, with building additions and parking lot construction. These changes caused some fields to be lost and others consumed by construction. The bottom line is that VSO had fewer places to play while the school identities were also lost. The loss of school identity and the inability to practice teams at their own schools at the end of the school day resulted in some reduction in participation in the late 1980's. By 1988/9 time frame , a shortage of fields was so evident that the VSO began to search for places to build a soccer complex. The most suitable land available was 16th section land adjacent to the Clear Creek Golf Course. The VSO offered the Warren County School Board the highest bid for that land and wads awarded a lease. With that lease, the VSO obtained a loan from a local bank and proceeded to build the existing complex at Bovina. The complex was built and paid for by VSO through registration fees and donations from local businesses. During the mid 1990's, State law changed allowing 16th section land to be retained by government entities when used for recreation without going through the bidding process. That resulted in an agreement between VSO and the Warren County Board of Supervisors whereby the County would take over the lease and perform routine field maintenance. The VSO pays for all referees, corner flags, goals, nets, line paint, kick boards. Portable potties, water wells, light poles, and contributes to other costs such as a share of the restrooms, main water well, ice machine, and on occasion purchases equipment for donation to the County. VSO volunteers contribute countless hours each year assisting the County in maintenance effort, and has sought City of Vicksburg involvement over the years with no success.
The facility at Bovina currently consists of 4 large fields (approx 120 X 70 yds.). 3 of those have sprinkler systems and 2 are lighted, capable of hosting High School and College level games. There are 2 more fields nearly as large (105 X 54 yds.) that have lights and sprinklers. For smaller youth games there are 2 regulation Under 12 fields, 4 regulation Under 10 fields, 4 regulation Under 8 fields, and 4 regulation Under 6 fields. Current plans include more lighted fields, more watered fields, paved parking lots, a pavilion, and a lake.