As the 2012-13 season draws to a close, the Upper Island Riptide Club representing the Comox Valley, Campbell River, Powell River and all areas in between for premier soccer has made an impact in each community and rippling through the province.
Anika Shelrud, a Carihi High student from the Campbell River Youth Soccer Club, has been selected for the second phase of the BC Soccer Provincial Teams Program. The second phase includes a week long training session of 20 selected players in preparation for the Portland Timbers Cup taking place in Beaverton, Oregon.
Players invited to move on to the third and final phase of tryouts will enter the main competitive platform for youth provincial athletes beginning in July. Anika began the 2012-13 season playing midfield and striker for the Upper Island Riptide U15 girls team. In January she was called up to play for the Vancouver Island Wave of the BC Soccer Premier League.
Upper Island Riptide U15 coaches Mike Oldale, Darrin McLeod, Dave Calow and Curtis Cameron are extremely pleased to see Anika’s hard work and talent paying off as she makes her way through the second round of provincial tryouts.
The May long weekend saw many of the Upper Island Riptide teams travel to Kamloops to compete in the 35th annual Slurpee Cup. Represent they did.
Finishing first in their divisions were:
• U15 Girls (head coach Mike Oldale).
•U16 Boys (head coach Henry Roller).
In second place in their division:
• U14 Boys (head coach Mike Rodgers).
And in fifth place:
• U15 Boys (head coach Paul West).
The Slurpee Cup was a great opportunity for Henry Roller and his U16 Boys to train for the upcoming Youth Provincial A Cup to be held July 4-7 in Langley.
The weekends of May 26 and June 2 bring on the next round of tryouts for the Upper Island Riptide Club. Pre-registration is necessary. See http://upperislandriptide.com/Home.aspx for specific age groups and tryout dates/times.
– Upper Island Riptide Club