The Vancouver Island Premier League ’s (VIPL) Steering Committee of the Upper Island Riptide franchise has hired Shel Brodsgaard as Soccer Development Coordinator.
Brodsgaard’s vision for the future of the VIPL program and how it will be achieved in both the short and long term will be welcomed by our member clubs which include Comox Valley United Soccer Club, Powell River Soccer Association and Campbell River Soccer Association.
Brodsgaard’s vision is to begin by creating and maintaining a high performance model for coaches and players, to support and guide our VIPL program and enhancing the quality of experiences for players, coaches,
families and communities.
He will also be assisting coaches in planning and implementing short term and multi-seasonal programs for technical, tactical and physical development and will oversee the process for player evaluations and be involved with coaching selection.
The hiring of Brodsgaard as Soccer Development Coordinator works with our franchise’s budget without a large increase in per-player cost from previous years.
We welcome and look forward to having Mr. Brodsgaard continue to further our guiding principles consisting of:
Attainability: An important developmental link in the chain that allows member players to move along a progressive pathway from the current Club/House system (Tier 4), up through the UISA Development league (Tier 3), into the regional VIPL program (Tier 2), and then onto the Vancou-
ver Island Wave franchise of the EA Sports BC Soccer Premier League (Tier 1).
Accessibility: Continue to being committed to attracting and retaining the most talented soccer players within the region, regardless of individual financial circumstances.
Player-Focused: Continue seeking to provide a top-quality developmental and age appropriate competitive environment that will allow all of its players to rise to the level of their abilities.
This overarching concept serves as the primary decision-making framework of the franchise – what is best for the players and their development, is the number one concern of the program.
Brodsgaard’s profile includes six years as Canadian Soccer Association National Teams goalkeeper coach, 18 years as a business owner and 15 years as a professional athlete. His determination, ambition and knowledge will be an asset to Upper Island Soccer.
Brodsgaard is commended for his achievements, some of which include:
2004 & 2006 FIFA Women’s Youth World championships,
Second place in the 2004 Pan-Am Games in the Dominican Republic,
Third Place in the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the USA,
Second Place in the 2002 FIFA Women’s Youth World Championships in Canada.
The Vancouver Island Premier League is the second-highest level of soccer competition on Vancouver Island. There are six teams in each age division including four teams from the Lower Island Soccer Association and
two from the Upper Island Soccer Association. Teams vie to be named the Island representative in the prestigious Coastal Cup and Provincial ‘A Cup’ tournaments.
The Upper Island Regional Franchise, Riptide, includes players from Comox Valley, Campbell River and Powell River (including Texada Island). The 2013/2014 season will see Riptide age groups in U14, U15, U16 and
U18 in both boy’s and girl’s divisions.
– Upper Island Soccer Association