As the annual Whitecaps soccer tournament in Surrey wrapped up this past April Fool’s weekend, it became very apparent to all that were fortunate enough to attend that our U12 Coastal Storm FC boys team are truly tournament masters.
With a rainy start to the weekend, the boys flew out of the gate with a slick determination and coordinated effort that would set them up nicely for all four of the upcoming games.
Game one was a great primer to work on teamwork and a serious passing game, which they would need to succeed against future opponents. Working together really well and trying some new mid-field dynamics led to a clean 4-1 win.
For the second game of the day, the skies showed hope of clearing and another powerful effort from the Storm gave them a sweet, hard-won 3-1 win to end the day.
The next day looked like summer had arrived and the boys had an early start for an 8 a.m. game. Teams from all over the west came to Surrey to play. Game three was a Whitecaps development team from Saskatchewan looking to challenge our boys. The Storm, although thrilled to challenge a team with apparent skill from that far away, were to continue their phenomenal teamwork style of play and tenacious approach, leading to a very intense game. Both sides were trying on net equally hard, ringing the post and crossbars, both sides moving the ball really well, but the third victory of the weekend would be ours, 4-1.
The last and fourth game of the tournament looked on paper like we should have made it a sweep of the weekend but sometimes in sports the unlucky factor plays out and the boys lost it in the end – not for lack of trying, though. Many, many shots on net simply were not destined to go in and that’s just the way it goes sometimes in any league anywhere.
When all is said and done, this was a beautiful way to end their great 2016-17 soccer season, the last season these boys will play small teams, small fields and small balls, because from now on – look out – size 5 balls, full-sized pitches and full 11 a side team rosters. The Storm FC boys will enter your world ready to shake it up and make their mark there, too.
– Submitted by Patrick Fitzsimons
