The Vancouver Whitecaps extended a last minute invitation to the Sunshine Coast Youth Soccer Association to bring coast soccer players to attend last Sunday's playoff game against the Puerto Rico Islanders. The U11 Boys Thunderbirds and U12 Boys Scorpions attended a pre-game clinic run by Whitecaps players and coaching staff. In total, 22 kids from the Sunshine Coast followed the lead of the Whitecaps through a short warm up, drills and a scrimmage on the playing field at Swanguard Stadium.
The pre-game clinic was just the beginning of the fun for the kids. Following the training session the kids, coaches and families joined other SCYSA coaches, players and families in the stands to watch the important playoff game. The Sunshine Coast group loudly cheered on the Whitecaps, and kept up their enthusiasm as the sun set and the game was tied 0-0 after 90 minutes of regulation play. Almost two hours into the game, former Whitecap Nick Addlery scored on a 23-yard strike. The Whitecaps pushed to tie the game in the remaining minutes, but a gamble to bring the keeper up to the centre-line to help the offence left the net wide open, and Addlery scored again.
After the game, the SCYSA players and families were invited to meet and receive autographs from the Whitecaps players. Despite the loss, the group had a lot of fun and witnessed a little bit of Vancouver sports history by attending the last Whitecaps game at Swanguard Stadium.
- Submitted
