DUNNVILLE—A new sports club in Dunnville is giving some of Haldimand’s youngest athletes a place to run, kick, play, and build confidence close to home.
PTC Sports Canada launched in February 2026, after program director and coach Danel Yesim said organizers saw a need for more local sports programming, particularly for very young children.
“PTC stands for ‘Providing the Community,’” said Yesim. “We launched PTC Sports Canada in February 2026 after recognizing a gap in local sports programming, especially for very young children, starting as early as 18 months.”
The club currently runs youth soccer programming in Dunnville for children ages 18 months to seven years old. The program is divided into four age groups, with a maximum of 15 children in each session.
Yesim said keeping the groups small allows coaches to give participants more individualized attention while creating a stronger experience for each child.
The goal, he said, is not only to teach sport-specific skills, but to help children develop confidence, coordination, balance, teamwork, and social skills in a welcoming environment.
“Our mission is to make sports accessible to all children, regardless of age, ability, or financial circumstances,” said Yesim. “We aim to remove common barriers to participation by offering affordable programming and creating an inclusive, welcoming environment where every child can learn, grow, and have fun.”
For the youngest participants, ages 18 months to 2.5 years, sessions follow a consistent structure to help children feel comfortable. Activities include simple races, soccer-based games, social interaction, and foundational skill development.
Children ages 2.5 to 3.5 build on those fundamentals with slightly more challenging activities, while older groups continue with game-based learning and begin taking part in small, controlled scrimmages to introduce teamwork and basic gameplay concepts.
“Each session is tailored to the age group, with weekly variations to keep things engaging and fun,” said Yesim.
Yesim brings a varied sports background to the program. He grew up in London, England, playing soccer from a young age before competing at the college level in the United Kingdom. He later had the opportunity to play in Seville, Spain, before transitioning into American football during his first year of university. He was later invited to try out for the Great Britain Men’s National Team.
He has been coaching since age 15 and has led programs and camps in soccer, football, tennis, gymnastics, basketball, and other sports.
Also on PTC Sports Canada’s leadership team is Coach Shae, who was born and raised in Dunnville. She brings both local and international experience. She grew up competing in dance and soccer before continuing her athletic journey at Trent University, where she served as Dance Captain. While studying abroad in England, she choreographed and competed in dance, placing in the United Kingdom’s largest university dance competition.
Shae began coaching at age 14 and has worked with a wide range of ages and skill levels, including experience as a sports camp counsellor leading different sports sessions.
Yesim said Dunnville was chosen as the launch community because it is now home.
“Dunnville is our home community, and we wanted to create something meaningful for local families,” he said. “The response has been incredibly positive, with strong support from parents and community members.”
The program has also received support from the Junior Optimist Club of Dunnville, which provided a $250 sponsorship. The sponsorship was presented at the Dunnville Home and Garden Show.
“A member of the Junior Optimist Club learned about our programs and shared our mission with the group,” said Yesim. “Their support has been invaluable in helping us reduce costs for families, and we continue to collaborate with them.”
Parents and guardians may also see members of the Junior Optimist Club volunteering at some sessions.
PTC Sports Canada is now preparing to launch a youth flag football program in Dunnville. Yesim said the program is nearly ready and will offer weekly 45-minute sessions for children ages two to 14. For younger children, the sessions will focus on fun, game-based activities that introduce flag football fundamentals.
Older participants will work on skill development, game understanding, and structured five-on-five play.
Yesim said the club plans to expand across Haldimand.
“Our goal is to make our programs accessible to as many families as possible,” he said.
He hopes the program offers more than just a weekly activity.
“We hope families see the value of accessible, community-focused sports programming and the positive impact it can have on their children,” said Yesim. “We also truly appreciate the support from parents and guardians who have already enrolled; it means a lot to us as we continue to grow.”
The flag football program is set to begin June 15. Sessions will run Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, with age groups scheduled on different days.
Full details are available at ptcsports.ca and on social media at ptcsportscanada.
