It’s been a triumphant season for the Grand Forks Secondary School senior girls soccer team – the group is competing at provincials this week, following last year’s disqualification from the same tournament for having three players on the team deemed too young.
Mike Phelan, coach, said the group has put in a lot of hard work this year. The team of 17 is composed of girls in Grades 8 through 12, and plays at the single A level. They will head off to provincials in Penticton on Thursday to compete against 16 teams for the provincial title. The team is assistant coached by Lindsay Wall, who played on the team as a GFSS student herself.
Phelan said the team has had a fantastic seven-week season, regardless of how provincials go. They are one of two teams from the area to make provincials; the other team will be from Nakusp, a team Phelan said they have played consistently throughout the season.
“There are friendships struck, they enjoy playing each other,” Phelan said.
But what makes provincials so sweet for the team this year actually happened this time last year: the team qualified for provincials, but was disqualified after officials realized the team had three Grade 7 members.
“The whole scenario with last year was heart-wrenching for the girls. We had had a season like this one, successful and we had grown along the way, and really, the disqualification was about rules and regulations than about the kids and their play,” he said.
Phelan said that soccer is a relatively large team – each needs at least 16 players, which in rural areas can be hard to muster, especially compared to sports like basketball and volleyball. Each of those sports need between eight and 12 players per team.
So, the team recruited three girls who could play up from Grade 7.
“We didn’t feel it was fair to leave them behind if we were to go to provincials, because they worked as hard as any other player on the team.
“It was disruptive enough that the first thing they did this year was say they are committed to getting to provincials this year, that was the defining target for them this year.”
But, all three members from last year are back this year – and while it may have been an unspoken goal, Phelan said he felt the team was pulling together towards proving they were good enough.
“The team came together well, they enjoy the game and playing the game with each other,” Phelan said. “We have a group of girls that are committed to being competitive and growing as a team, and they have done a good job at that.”
“This year, the same three players are in Grade 8 and there is no problem with having them with us. They feel fantastic and are looking forward to provincials.”