With the Bonnyville Soccer Association set to close the curtain on its summer outdoor program, another organization is just about to start its season, as the tier 3 Lakeland Dynamo prepares itself for another year of competitive soccer.
Mike Pomerleau, coach of the U14 boys team and the U12 girls team said he was excited to get back out onto the pitch with his players as he gets them ready for another season of fun.
The U14 boys kicked off their season June 13 with a gold medal at the ‘Moon Day' tournament in Spruce Grove. The squad of 19 players took the tournament by storm, winning all four of the games they played in.
“I'm very happy with how the team played at the Moon Day tournament, they went out there and recorded four victories – three very convincingly, before winning the gold medal game on penalties,” Pomerleau said. “To be honest with you, I was a little surprised by how well the guys played considering this was our first tournament. But we got the win and can move on now with added confidence.”
The team traveled to Red Deer last weekend for another tournament and will compete at the provincial championships in Aidrie Aug. 16 to 18.
While Pomerleau has the boys' team playing in a competitive nature, he's taking the opposite approach with the U12 girls, who will be joining the Dynamo for their first season of soccer.
“This is the girls' first year playing together for the Dynamo, so obviously they're excited to be here and looking forward to getting out there and kicking a ball around,” Pomerleau said.
The squad contains ten girls, as the U12 level play an eight-a-side game, and they too competed at the tournament in Red Deer this past weekend – their first one of the season, with Pomerleau saying this year is all about getting the girls ready for next year.
“This year we only entered the U12 team into the one tournament, and they won't be going to a provincial tournament. We felt it would be best if we slowly integrated them into the sport and didn't overwhelm them,” Pomerleau said. “It's all about getting them ready for the 11-a-side game next season, so hopefully when next year rolls around they're still interested and will have the experience of this season to fall back on.”
