On this past glorious Sunday at Kinnikinnick Park under a sweet sky with a little sunshine, the Sunshine Coast U15 Storm girls soccer team hosted the VUFC Wildcats from Jericho/Point Grey.
With some hard-lost battles away in the city recently, close games with only a goal or two deciding them, our girls were happy to be home in front of friends and family, playing on a natural grass field instead of a turf bounce fest they often face in Vancouver.
The Storm took the lead within a minute of the game start, a serious push fast and furious into their end that put us up 1-0 to loud cheers from the fans. From the start it looked like a physical game was in store from both sides. The Wildcats squad were masters of pushing us off the ball and running a shoulder to shoulder tactic our Storm girls needed to figure out quick. And figure it out they did. As the game ticked on, the Storm played right alongside the talented Wildcats and even learned to step in front to demand ball control in the second half.
The Wildcats evened it up on an honest handball mistake in the box; it was almost brilliantly saved by a fully outstretched dive from the Storm keeper that would have made the professionals jealous.
The Storm took back the lead again 2-1 and it looked like it might even stay that way for the rest of the game when an awarded fantastic curving arc free kick kept the Wildcats in contention to end the game 2-2. Several clashes and whistles stopped the play for injured players on both sides throughout the game – fair, strong soccer that can be intimidating for the weak of heart.
This game gave everyone a chance to play some good soccer and grow even more as a team. Any team needs tough games like this to learn and grow. Every player has a responsibility to listen to the coach and improve on technique or strategy, and every coach gives all he or she can in the search for the whole team to learn and have fun playing soccer. This group is the real deal in all those areas. Whomever they face, the great game of soccer will be much better off and the fans will always be thrilled to be part of their journey.
