People often forget the women’s side of the game. Not us.
We’re just as interested in Sudbury obtaining a women’s League1 Ontario side as a men’s team. Today’s U-16 women, may just be tomorrow’s L1O Women.
This past summer, the Greater Sudbury Soccer Club’s U-16 Women’s team participated in the Central Soccer League (CSL) for the first time with a very simple goal: don’t get relegated.
Not only were they able to meet that goal, they’re looking at finishing no worse than 6th (of 17) in the table with an 8-4-4 record (28 pts).
This is especially impressive when you realize “Our girls had never played 90 minute games, the girls have never played the level of competition the CSL has to offer, and we’re basically the only team that is required to play back to back games on weekends,” according to co-coach Chris Binks.
Although the U-16 squad isn’t aiming as high as W-L1O next season, ” the plan for next year is to try and get the girls some exposure to various post-secondary programs through exhibition games, guest coach training sessions, or showcase tournaments.”
Competition in the CSL will help these women prepare for high-calibre play in USports, CCAA, and we may even see a few of them continue their play in W-L1O & at the professional level. By forming a strong base on the women’s side now, the Impact are creating a pipeline of female players — one that seems to be outperforming their men’s sides.
Read the original article on Sudbury.com
Now available on Crater’s Edge: Northern Ontario Women’s Database.