The most attractive aspect of high school soccer can also be it’s greatest challenge as well.
With the club level of youth soccer offering so many tiers, students look forward to the rare opportunity of playing alongside their friends and classmates. Over about a eight-week season it means team chemistry has to be developed quickly and egos need to be put aside.
No one knows that better than longtime coach Stephen Burns who is once again overseeing the top 10 pre-season ranked McMath Wildcats.
With a roster that features B.C. Premier, Metro and club rep level players, Burns watched an expected candidate step up in his team’s season-opening 2-1 win over McRoberts last week.
“My best player today was my centre back who plays at the Gold level,” said Burns. “She is an athletic kid who could play Metro if she wanted to. You are going to get surprises like that (in high school soccer). It doesn’t matter which level you play and that’s what I am trying to get through to the girls.”
The Wildcats might have been the best team in the province a year ago.
A penalty kick defeat in the quarter-finals to eventual champion B.C. AAA champion Fleetwood Park was their only loss of the season. McMath went on to settle for a misleading fifth place.
Six players have graduated from that squad, including two key starters, but there is more than enough talent for the Wildcats to make plenty of noise again. They begin the campaign ranked No. 6 in the province.
“We could be very close to last year’s team,” continued Burns. “It’s going to depend on a couple of things but we have a chance to be in the same position.
“With not many AAA teams in Richmond, we know we will be in the playoffs. We will see what happens from there.”
McMath is headed to a tournament hosted by the University of Victoria April 16-18 and should get tougher tests in league play if the match against McRoberts was any indication.
“We could have buried a few more chances but they made it difficult for us too,” Burns added. “McRoberts has some good athletes and I thought both teams were better in the second half.”
Richmond league games are typically played Tuesday and Thursday with the regular season concluding April 23. Other schools with teams this year include Richmond High, Steveston-London, Hugh Boyd, McNair, MacNeill and Cambie.
