Icy weather impacting Metro Vancouver soccer season

Thousands of Metro Vancouver soccer players have been sidelined by snow, as fields across the region are closed due to weather.

Games and practices are cancelled for thousands of players in the4-District and 5-District Youth Soccer Leagues across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

"Everything's outside. So, because the fields are covered in snow, they're unsafe to play on," said 4-District League secretary ChristinePietrzyk.

"The fields aren't opened until they're thawed and safe to play on and if we're going down to 10 tonight and still in freezing weather until the weekend ...I personally can't see that changing."

Pietrzyk said her two sons, who play in the league, are eager to get back out on the pitch.

"They're bummed we've had a break already.We lost some games beforeChristmasdue to weather [so]they want to get back to playing."

The Vancouver Park Board said it could be weeks before fields are reopened.

"Not only do we have to wait til the snow leaves the surface, we also have to wait til the ground actually thaws outbecause it'll just be a frozen slippery mess after that for a little while," said Howard Normann, Director of Park Operations.