Soccer players in Williams Lake had their hopes dashed this week by the thick blanket of wildfire smoke over much of the province, which forced the cancellation of the 2018 Shore N Score Cup Tournament in Salmon Arm.
The annual tournament, which attracts development and rep soccer teams from across the province, is an event where players such as those from the Williams Lake Youth Soccer Association have come to count on as the wrap-up event of the season.
Upwards of 150 WLYSA players making up nine Future Stars, rep and development teams and their families were registered for the tournament when it was cancelled Wednesday.
“It’s a big tournament and the kids were really looking forward to it,” said WLYSA coach and Future Stars coordinator, Tara Sherlock.
“It’s such a disappointment they’re not able to go but the player’s safety is the priority.”
Read More: Shuswap Youth Soccer cancels Shore’N’Score tournament due to smoke
Four Future Stars teams, two development teams and seven rep teams were slated to play ranging in age from nine to seventeen.
Wildfire smoke also forced the cancellation of a Penticton soccer tournament the week before, as well as a slo-pitch tournament in Williams Lake and some soccer practices the last couple of weeks leading up to the tournament.
Despite the disappointing end to the year, Sherlock said the WLYSA still had a great season of developing players and coaches, many of whom volunteer to coach several teams per season.
“The coaches are what makes that program so successful,” Sherlock said of Future Stars, which prepares and develops younger players for rep.
“It is that first step into those programs and a taste of what that extra commitment means. It also develops our coaches, who are very dedicated. If we didn’t have them, we couldn’t run the program.”
Nine coaches for Future Stars alone were committed to travelling to Salmon Arm tournament for the Future Stars program while the rep teams have also been working hard to prepare.
“Many of these teams have been practising since May and right through the summer,” she said.
Sherlock found her love for sports growing up in Williams Lake. She played in the WLYSA and went on to compete in soccer at the university level, and then switched her focus to rugby, which saw her compete across North America for B.C. and Canada until returning home to raise a family in 2005.
She and her husband Matt are raising their two daughters, Hailey, 11, and Alexis, 9, with that same passion for sports.
Like many of the WLYSA volunteers who wear several hats, this year Sherlock coached two house teams, assist coached one U11 girls development team and co-ordinated the Future Stars program.
“I’m very inspired by sport,” Sherlock said why she devotes so much of her time to volunteering. “I believe it’s a very healthy way to spend my time. I’ve always been fond of coaching,” Sherlock said.
“I’ve had some pretty amazing coaches myself and so I know what their influence has done for me in life. If I’m able to offer just a little piece of that kind of inspiration, or motivation or encouragement, that would be my hope.”
Sherlock said her contribution to WLYSA is just a small component of what makes the association such a success.
Giving credit to local soccer veterans such as Nara Riplinger and Curt Levens, Sherlock said Williams Lake is fortunate to have so many coaches dedicated to the sport.
“This league is incredible. The current executive is comprised of rock stars. Every member on that executive spends so much time and so much effort for the soccer families in Williams Lake.”
The WLYSA has almost 1,000 players, volunteers and coaches.
Sherlock said when she works with children who are excited to learn and play, it makes the efforts all worth while.
“That’s what really gets me fired up.”
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