Marine Harvest Riptide soccer teams are entering the final stages of play in the Vancouver Island Premiere League, and hope to continue to gain momentum for the post-season, which starts at the end of February.
As league play commences for the U14-U18 male and female teams in the coming weeks, Riptide staff feel that many of teams will be peaking at the right time for the post-season. In the event that any of the teams should be lucky enough to win the post-season round of play in the VIPL, the team would qualify for A-Cup provincials in Richmond in July.
“We have also been enjoying a tremendous amount of interest in the graduating class of the U18 Riptide programs,” said Shel Brodsgaard, Riptide soccer development co-ordinator. “To date, we have been visited by coaches from Vancouver Island University, Lethbridge University, University of Northern British Columbia and Thompson Rivers University. We have also had players attend trials at the University of Victoria, Vancouver Island University, Lethbridge University and University of Northern British Columbia.”
The U18 Riptide female team will soon visit Peninsula College, and has exhibition games against UVIC and VIU to prepare for the post-season. This will provide players an opportunity to pursue a post-secondary education in combination with the potential to play soccer. The U18 Riptide Boys Program is arranging exhibition games leading into the post-season with the Comox men’s division one team.
The Riptide continues to evaluate intake groups for 2018-19 with training sessions for 2005-born players who will make up these teams. To date, the sessions have been lively, intense and rewarding. The standard of play continues to rise in the local soccer community, and the Riptide is pleased to be able to support and guide player/parent interest in Tier Two soccer on Vancouver Island.
Coaches interested in applying to work with one of these teams can apply at http://riptidesoccer.ca/2018-2019-marine-harvest-vipl-riptide-coaching-applications/
An agreement with www.atleta.ca allows athletes to communicate with Canadian university and college coaches, and to research the system.
The Riptide is in the midst of planning the Spring Academy, open to players ages 2007-2002. There’s a meeting March 5, 6:30 p.m. at a location TBA. Try-out dates will soon be determined for U14-U18 teams.
And there’s the annual trip to Port Hardy for a one-day soccer camp, which has run the past three years.
The Riptide saw more than 180 players attend the program in the spring of 2017.
The technical team consisting of Ken Garraway, Ash Mohtadi, Stephen Hall and Brodsgaard will be making a 10-day trip to the UK leading into the spring academy to watch high-level games and research the beautiful game. They will be joined by 2003 Riptide Boys Head Coach Darrin McLeod, and former Riptide coach Sandy Grant.
www.riptidesoccer.ca