Women's Premier 2009/10

[Fat Bastard]

Thought I'd get the new season rolling with a status update on our squad: Coquitlam Metro-Ford. We've got a new coach: Dennis Kindel. We're very happy about that. He worked with our PCSL group this past summer, and it was really positive. I think premier players will enjoy his coaching style and the environment at training.

No big signings to report as of yet. A few new teams means perhaps a little less talent to go around. But we'll see. We'll definitely be proactive.

And we've got a new name too. Brought the Xtreme moniker over from the PCSL. Not a huge deal, but we're all one big happy family so why not. We've had some pretty good success with the Xtreme over the years, we'll see if the luck carries over to the winter as well.

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer.

[Captain Shamrock]

Yes, we have lost a couple of players but received some good news in that our Swedish girl is coming back for another year. We will struggle a bit more this year earlier in the season I think but we have 5 UBC players commited with two being the Provincial MVPs in the last two years of the high school provincials........at least that is what I think?

We have several younger players joining us but won't have JAR at the start unless she is around and we won't have Sari Raber until she is back. She might not be around much this year and she was looking to go to Australia to play but she has said she will play with us when and if she is around which is encouraging. We've lost one striker who went back to her Dad's roots of Delta United and I believe he is coaching. To be honest, I think they might struggle as I've seen a couple of the players they have signed. Our goal is obviously to qualify for Provincials, which it always will be. Once you get there, anything can happen, which was proven last year.

I disagree about Langley, FB. I think they will be a strong team who will now likely tap into Trinity Western after their season is done.

[Fat Bastard]

Does anyone know when we might see a schedule? Stop laughing, I know it's still early, but it's been a while since I've been involved.

Also, there was talk of Whitecaps Prospects playing in the League in an exhibition set up (league would schedule games, home-and-away, but wouldn't count in standings). Does anyone know if that's on or not, since it looks like we may have bye-week to tend with now.

[Captain Shamrock]

Fat Bastard.......you're not losing any players to Burnaby are you?


There are now only 9 teams in the league as the North Shore teams 'merged' into one. The Whitecaps was not going to happen this season because there WAS a 10 team league.......now with 9, they might have them back in the schedule

[knaacks]

I thought that the Delta team was the Whitecap girls??? When did the north shore merger happen? That will affect the schedual as far as redoing the whole thing if they were working on it. It would be nice to have it up soon so we can start planning.

[Fat Bastard]

We lost one player to Burnaby.

Delta is a Richmond break off group, if I understood Capt correctly. And I have heard - but have not confirmed - that Langley is basically Abbotsford.

The NS merger happened a while ago so Leslie shouldn't have been too blindsided by the change.

Schedule could be up my the end of the weekend. That's what I heard today.

I'd like to see the Caps plugged into everyone's bye weeks. Two more games wouldn't be bad, and they should be good challenging games.

[Captain Shamrock]

I thought that the Delta team was the Whitecap girls??? When did the north shore merger happen? That will affect the schedual as far as redoing the whole thing if they were working on it. It would be nice to have it up soon so we can start planning.

No, Knaacks, the Delta girls will likely struggle the first year...but you never know. It happened over the last couple of weeks apparently.

[Captain Shamrock]

We lost one player to Burnaby.

Delta is a Richmond break off group, if I understood Capt correctly. And I have heard - but have not confirmed - that Langley is basically Abbotsford.

The NS merger happened a while ago so Leslie shouldn't have been too blindsided by the change.

Schedule could be up my the end of the weekend. That's what I heard today.

I'd like to see the Caps plugged into everyone's bye weeks. Two more games wouldn't be bad, and they should be good challenging games.

Delta isn't really a Richmond break-off group but I guess it could be looked at that way. The coach is the father of a daughter who played with us last year....initially they were going to be in Division One and then tried to get into the Selects league but it was full so they were put into premier thinking they would be the 10th team.......before North Shore merged.

Having said that there are a few girls from last year who thought they deserved more time than they got with our Premier team so good on them for making the move to prove they deserve to play Premier.

[Fat Bastard]

Quick question again. Does premier still get paid assistants for League games??? Each team pays $60 per game still?

Also, in the interest of helping everyone out a little, does everyone know their game days and times for their home matches.

Coquitlam Metro Ford will be Fridays again, but should be down at one of the Town Centre fields, 8pm kickoff. (After last year's snow, we figured we'd be better served to get down belown the snow line.)

[knaacks]

I think we are still Sundays at 10o am. What is the make-up of this team from Delta? Sur-Del and Richmond or players from Tsawassen? Are there enough players to have a go at this level? Should be an interesting season.

[Captain Shamrock]

Knaacks........Tsawassen, Ladner, and a couple from Richmond.........I don't think there will be many from Sur-Del......I know 11 of their players......3 from our Premier team last year(one who quit after a couple of weeks).....3 from our Selects team last year(one who showed up to training twice last year)........and a couple from Tsawwassen.......two who played Division Two last year...and one who is attempting a comeback from injury. Other than that, they could have some great players I don't know about.............

We are playing on Saturday afternoons......likely at 4:00 or 6:00(technically I suppose it is early Saturday evening)......no more Friday games for us.

[knaacks]

I'll be REAL happy if there are no Sunday night games this year. I didn't mind the early games in North Van, but thats just me. The girls that rip it up on Saturday nights were the ones that had a struggle last season

[Captain Shamrock]

Agreed, Knaacks.........Sunday night games are a disaster........

[Fat Bastard]

SCHEDULE IS ONLINE!!!

Burnaby, North Shore and North Coquitlam have Sunday night games.
Looks like only we are on Friday nights.
Richmond and Westside on Saturday afternoons.
Surrey, Langley and Delta at the traditional 10am Sunday spots.

Not liking 10am @ South Delta Secondary for the Delta United games. That's a trek and a half. Guess it replaces the 9:30 Kinsman games.

A little disappointed not more Friday night games. It's easier to get the young players out to watch on those nights. It would be nice if we could start getting the same kind of crowds some of the mens games get.

Not sure why the Whitecaps aren't filling the bye week. I'm curious as to what happened there. I suppose we can work something out with them individually.

Anyhow, best of luck to everyone.

[knaacks]

one might think that more clubs would want the top teams to play at a time when they could get the most exposure for the team. Why play at night on Sunday? Who's going to come and watch these games! At least the Friday games will be seen by more people, it boogles the mind!! Get your S+++ straight for the betterment of our league

[Captain Shamrock]

South Park games will be postponed throughout the season.......the field will be a quagmire by October so it might be a levelling factor for Delta. Seriously, it will be a joke.

Sunday night games........even worse. Nice work on the Sunday night games.

I figured with Burnaby poaching all the players they're trying to and being a new premier team, they would get some prime time. Apparently not.....as Sunday nights are obviously the least wanted by anyone.

[Captain Shamrock]

one might think that more clubs would want the top teams to play at a time when they could get the most exposure for the team. Why play at night on Sunday? Who's going to come and watch these games! At least the Friday games will be seen by more people, it boogles the mind!! Get your S+++ straight for the betterment of our league

You're very right about that, Knaacks.

As for our Saturday games, we have two of our mens teams playing before our ladies games so we can hopefully have a decent atmosphere for the games.......trying to bring the club together a bit too.

[knaacks]

I totally agree with the back to back games for those teams that have both men and womens teams. I think that we are going to try to do the same for some weekends. I know of a crosstown club day being arranged so that all the youth select teams and the premiers will all play each other on the same weekend. Try and establish a friendly rivalry between clubs. Brilliant idea !!! Every league should get on board with that idea and it would bring the youth players out to watch more senior games too if they knew that their clubs were involved.

[Captain Shamrock]

Knaacks,

That's one of the reasons why we decided to try it this way too. We want the youth players who are playing for Richmond to know there is a mens' and womens' part of their club...as it is still a work in progress. Minoru for now is a good venue but ideally we want Hugh Boyd Oval as the main field but right now Minoru has everything we need....grandstand, changing rooms etc.

[Fat Bastard]

One of the reasons I like the Friday night games is because I remember the crowds back in the day at Mundy 4 when the Wolves would play. In the summer, we used to be able to draw good crowds for Saturday night PCSL women's games. There's no reason it can't be done here as well.

Some people might wonder what the big deal is. But this is the best division in Canada's largest women's soccer league. It should be promoted. For one, getting young players out to watch should attract them to the senior level when they graduate. Second, more exposure might open doors to sponsors and so on (which can't be underestimated in this day and age). And finally, I think most players enjoy playing in front of lots of spectators.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of Sunday games at any time because it conflicts with the youth schedules, but it does allow for the double-headers you guys have alluded to, which is definitely a great idea.