Bonnyville Soccer Association hosts second weekend of the Lakeland Cup

Soccer teams from the Lakeland region travelled to Bonnyville for the second weekend of the Lakeland cup, playing for the opportunity to move on to provincials.

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1 / 1 The U13 Vegreville girls team played the Bonnyville - Tercier team during the second weekend of the Lakeland Cup.Corrina Dickens

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BONNYVILLE - Soccer teams from the Lakeland region came to Bonnyville for the second weekend of the Lakeland cup, playing for the opportunity to move on to provincials.

The event was hosted by the Bonnyville Soccer Association and Lakeland Soccer, and took place at the Wetland's fields from June 20-22.

Darrel Mitchell, head coach for the Lac La Biche U13 girls' team, spoke highly of the event and said that Bonnyville Soccer and Lakeland Soccer have always been great ambassadors for the sport.

"The Lakeland Cup tournament is great. It’s an amazing experience to be able to share with the kids and team as coaches who played in this tournament [when we were kids]. To be able to share our experiences and knowledge with the team was special," said Mitchell.

He spoke highly of Bonnyville Soccer's hospitality during the Lakeland Cup.

"From the executive committee to the volunteers, and referees everyone was so welcoming and supportive of all the teams this weekend, which made our experience that much more enjoyable," said Mitchell.

During the tournament, coaches created a positive and upbeat environment by offering encouragement and pointers to their athletes on and off the field - Mitchell was no exception, and he spoke about how proud he was of his team.

"We heard from a few coaches, as well as from some of the Lakeland executives and referees, that our U13 girls' team was the most improved team this year, which is a huge compliment to the heart and determination our girls showed all year. We have a lot of first year players on our team and have had our ups and downs throughout the season but to come to the Lakeland Cup this weekend and play the way we did is a testament to how hard working these girls are. . . It was an honour to be a part of this special group of girls this season," said Mitchell.

The top placing teams will now head to Leduc for Tier 4 Rural soccer provincials in July. The first weekend of Lakeland Cup took place in St. Paul and featured boys' and girls' teams in the U15, U17 and U19 levels.