Girls Soccer : Grit, Goals, and Glory

As the sun graces us with its rays, and the days get longer and warmer, the sound of soccer balls being struck can be heard echoing across the turf. A stream of anticipative girls make their way down the concrete steps to their tri-weekly practice, where they’ll sharpen their skills, push their limits, and transform into faster, stronger players. The pressure is on, as the overhanging weight of the 2A Provincial Championship looms closer. 

Our girls are split up into two groups: the juniors, coached by the youngster trio of Mr Collis-Hanford, Mr Roeth, and Ms Bashizi, and the senior squad mentored by the formidable Mr Barrett and Ms Fougner. Both groups show strong potential, but the true tests lie ahead, ones that will challenge us both mentally and physically. As the season unfolds, teamwork will take precedence over personal skill. The girls will, hopefully, foster a sense of community and family within themselves, striving to uplift each other and grow. 

Though the coaches may seem intimidating as they silently observe from the sideline, their experience and guidance provides the girls with insight into what it takes to reach the next level. They set the bar high, ensuring no one slips below. Fiona C, Hope ‘26 shares: “They make sure we don’t slack off, and even though they can be strict sometimes, I’m really grateful we have such dedicated coaches.” 

But what does the upcoming term look like? 

Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday our squads will take to the pitch, weaving between cones, refining our passes, and firing shot after shot on goal. The weeks ahead will be grueling, but our training sessions will, hopefully, prepare the team for the boisterous and physical opponents they’ll face. Every shot they take, every substitution they make, every bone they break  (hopefully none) will bring them closer to winning a provincial title. 

The training sessions are rigorous, the coaches are unrelenting, and the turf will give you a nasty burn if you find yourself sliding across it. Finding the strength to push through the challenges we face will become increasingly difficult as the heat and onset muscle soreness catches up with us. Pearl NB, Hope ‘25 reassures us that “There'll be some hurdles we face along the way, but knowing this team, we’ll find a way to come out stronger than before.” 

Abigail GG, Hope ‘25