Organizers have the ball rolling for a big provincial soccer tournament in 100 Mile House next summer.
The 100 Mile & District Soccer Association is looking for volunteers to fill an organizing committee and looking to field two local teams for the 2015 U13-U15 Les Sinnott Memorial Boys Provincial Cup.
A couple dozen teams from around the province are expected to compete here in July 2015.
“There are probably very volunteer-minded people that are not in the soccer community that would like to be part of a big event,” says Werner Heine, a soccer association spokesperson. “[Organizing] will probably be less painful for us now than back in 2011 [when 100 Mile hosted U15 boys and girls provincial tournaments] because everything was new then. We’re basically following the pattern we had in 2011 because it was very successful.”
Three boys divisions are taking the field – U13, U14 and U15. However, it’s recently been learned that female players can join the boys teams for the tournament, which bodes well for 100 Mile’s target of having at least two local teams competing.
Anyone interested in volunteering can contact the 100 Mile & District Soccer Association at 250-644-2135 or visit the website www. 100milesoccer .com for more information.
Meanwhile, the local soccer association, in conjunction with the Hills Health Ranch, has thrown 100 Mile House’s hat in the ring to host a qualifying FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 team for pre-tournament preparations.
The 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup goes June 6 to July 5 in stadiums across Canada. While the event has drawn a lot of criticism lately as a group of prominent players recently filed legal action against the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) and FIFA because of their decision to play the tournament on artificial turf instead of natural grass – which the players say is dangerous, changes the game and is discrimination based on gender – the 100 Mile & District Soccer Association has formerly applied to the CSA in the hopes of hosting one of the Group C teams playing their first round of games in Vancouver.
Groups will be drawn on Dec. 6 and teams are expected to choose host communities after that.
“That would be a big deal for us,” adds Heine.
