The Similkameen Elementary/Secondary School Sparks girls soccer team is hoping their run of luck in Nakusp continues this week as they kick off the provincial championship.
“We started off the year with a couple of big tournaments in Osoyoos and Kelowna and while we didn’t win we played really well. Then in May we went to Nakusp and won that tournament, beating Ashcroft in the finals, which was pretty cool,” said Sparks coach Mario Carelse.
The Sparks have 20 players on their squad (Grade 8 to Grade 12), including three senior players.
“Our Grade 12 leaders are Amy Leduc, Josie Hillman and Olivia Bains. These are three great leaders, great sports athletes and role models for the younger girls,” said Carelse.
Earlier in the regular season the Osoyoos Rattlers got the better of the Sparks beating them 1-0, forcing the Sparks to have to beat them by two goals in the South Zone Championship. They did exactly that, which launched them to the senior A girls soccer.
Carelse said the Sparks won in pool play but lost in the final 2-0 to Immaculata Mustangs, who were the top seed going in. The top two teams get to move on to the 16-team B.C. School Sports provincial tournament.
The young Sparks (three Grade 8, 9, 11, 12 players and seven Grade 10s), will start their campaign for the provincial title on Thursday facing Nakusp and Lake District (Burns Lake). They then face South Ridge, a private school, on Friday. Carelse said it is a bit of a tall order when they play in provincials because they are facing some private schools where almost all of their players are also on district teams. However, he said the Sparks are in good spirits.
“The girls are really looking forward to this. They have a great spirit on the team, all get along and have fun playing. They have also been a lot of fun to coach. We didn’t set big goals, we just want to play well, do our best and have fun,” said Carelse.
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