Midterm exams occurred outside of the classroom for a host of young Okotoks athletes.
The second annual United Communities Cup saw four Okotoks girls teams square off with some of the top indoor soccer clubs in the province in a tournament setting from Jan. 19-22 at the Crescent Point Field House in Aldersyde.
“It’s a chance for our Okotoks teams to have continued high level of competition,” said Okotoks United technical programs director Matt Lumsden. “The girls U12 and U14 were actually playing up a division and it was a chance for them to have an experience against a higher level of competition and challenge themselves against the best teams in the city and the province.
“We had mixed fortunes, but ultimately all of our teams were very competitive.”
Testing its mettle up a division, Okotoks’ U14 squad proved it could hang at the Tier II/III level.
Okotoks edged West Hills 3-2 on a last minute goal by Cadence Laplante to finish seventh in the 12-team field.
Okotoks also picked up a big 5-1 triumph over Tempest FC and posted a 2-2 record in competition.
“The team performance was great,” said Okotoks U14 assistant coach Steve Head. “In any four-game tournament you’re off and on, but to see them especially put in the effort (in the final game) was great to see as a coach.”
Okotoks’ U18 girls finished with a draw and three losses in its pool and probably deserved a better fate.
Following a narrow 2-1 defeat to Airdrie, Okotoks erased a four-goal deficit only to give up a goal in the final five seconds as the Blizzard Rangers claimed a 5-4 triumph. Okotoks then fell 3-2 in a competitive tilt with Lethbridge.
Victoria Bohdan netted a pair of goals, the latter a highlight reel individual effort on a one-on-one play, to help Okotoks earn a 2-2 draw against a strong Medicine Hat team to close out tournament play.
“I was really pleased with how the girls reacted over the weekend,” said Lumsden, who also coaches the U18 squad. “To lose those games in the tournament is disappointing, but to lose them by a goal and draw a game I can’t be disappointed with how the girls competed.”
Elsewhere, Okotoks finished eighth in U16 and were fourth in U12 Tier III.
The second annual tournament drew 46 teams and featured 633 athletes over four days at the field house.
“Mainly it was the boys that were the more dominant in interest and expectation,” Head said. “It’s nice to see the girls get involved and see them come up through. The effort they put in is great to see.”
The tournament also serves as an appetizer for what many squads will see in a few weeks time at provincial championships.
Okotoks is set to host indoor soccer provincials in three divisions from March 16-19.
“It’s definitely a precursor to their provincial tournaments,” Lumsden said. “Tournament play is far different from league play. It’s always good to have the experience of playing four games over the course of a weekend and having the permutations of knockouts.”
The United Communities Cup continues this weekend when the boys take to the pitch ranging in age from U10 to U18. Okotoks will field five teams in the tournament.
For full schedule information go to okotoksunitedsoccer.ca
