I've asked a lot of rhetorical questions about eastern Wake County soccer over the last few weeks that spurred feedback from several soccer dads in the area.

Scott Gage, the father of Knightdale High School players Craig and Deanna Gage, has offered feedback to every question I posed concerning the direction of youth soccer on this end of the county. While his responses to my first column on the topic led me to ask more questions, his responses to my second piece were some I felt the need to share.

My Sunday Nov. 20 column asked how far eastern Wake County soccer can go. I named infrastructure as the main reason soccer outside the school realm cuts off as kids approach the high school age.

Gage said the future of soccer in eastern Wake depends on the East Wake Soccer Association's ability to evolve into an organization with paid positions.

That makes sense to me, and I guess that would be a first step in building the infrastructure I had mentioned.

The services the EWSA offers are made possible by parents and volunteers managing all aspects of the league - everything from ordering jerseys to arranging schedules.

As Gage mentioned, other local organizations like CASL and Triangle Futbol Club hire staff to run their operations.

I also asked, and posed an answer to, the question of why eastern Wake players leave the local soccer scene for other organizations.

I blamed more offerings in the older age groups and the opportunity to play in a more advanced arena.

I wasn't too far off, according to Gage, who has seen this play out firsthand with his children.

He said some players are drawn into other interests as they get older and teams simply break up with a lack of numbers.

He also said before Premier UK Soccer became involved with the EWSA, the more serious players would look to other organizations to find that next level of soccer.

A positive for the EWSA, Gage reminded me parent-coaches sometimes know the game inside and out, and that the EWSA has been fortunate enough to have high school players from East Wake and Knightdale volunteer to coach developmental-age teams.

Deanna Gage coached in the EWSA for a few years, and Craig Gage lent a hand for training sessions for the youngest age groups last year. Scott Gage said Knightdale players Chris Mullinski, Zach and Kasi Andrews, and Wiley Foil have also helped out with the league, as have Southeast Raleigh's Nick Jones and former East Wake Warrior Tyler Hepps.

Gage said he knows there's more he's leaving out.

In conclusion, I asked why players should have to look to Raleigh to find the next level of soccer.

Gage said that was a good question. He said eastern Wake County might need to give soccer a little more attention, and beyond the efforts of those associated with the local youth leagues, I must say I agree.

Clearly the local organizations have paved the way for soccer in the absence of parks and recreation soccer leagues in all three eastern Wake towns. Schools and parks offer playing space for the local leagues, but maybe there's more the towns can do to offer some extra support. Given the shortcomings the league faces now, it seems a prudent investment to put some money into a program that serves hundreds of local youngsters.