Penticton Soccer Club is returning to the Pacific Coast Soccer League’s Premier Division.
The PSC hasn’t had a team in the Premier Division since 2006. Initial plans were to bump the women’s team from the Reserve Division to Premier, but after a several discussions with women’s coach Ray Hintz, as well as Manuel Borba, Ezra Cremers and Paulo Araujo from the Pinnacles Football Club, they decided to take the leap with a men’s team.
“I think we’re going to be competitive, I really do,” said Anderson. “I was worried that we would go in and get beat up a little bit. It doesn’t look like the case from what I’m seeing.”
The roster will be filled out by local players. For Anderson, it doesn’t make sense to field a team for people to watch that doesn’t possess players they may know. The team will be coached by Paulo Araujo, who Anderson said is a very strong coach.
“Being the senior club, we always want to go Premier,” he said. “We want to bring the best soccer to Penticton that can possibly be here.”
Anderson admitted there is some fear when entering that division.
“You’ve got a competitive level that is quite high,” he said. “Plus you still have to maintain the reserves. Have an expense attached to it.”
Anderson said they were approached by Pinnacles FC who wants PSC to maintain the reserve division squad.
“I think you’re going to see a pretty high calibre of soccer. People are going to want to come out and see that,” said Anderson. “We used to get hundreds of fans when we were in the Premier league before.”
The majority of home games at King’s Park will be played on Saturday evenings.
Financially, the Pinnacles will be supported by Tim Horton’s who has agreed to be sponsors for the next three years. Right now the club is seeking sponsors for the reserve side. Anderson said there are businesses that are interested in helping.
The women’s reserve squad will be coached by Ray Hintz and Manuel Borba.
“Manuel comes from the youth side of things. He is going to try and have the youth training meet up with Ray’s,” said Anderson. “Between the two of them they are going to bring the girls to the next level.”
As for the men’s reserve division squad, the club intends to give youth from PFC a chance to play.
