Nine lakecity soccer players were afforded the chance to play soccer abroad recently through the Vancouver-based European Football School.
Two soccer tours — the first to Laguna Beach, CA., and the second to Europe — were made up of players from Vancouver, Squamish, Pemberton, Salmon Arm and Williams Lake.
On the EFS under-13, under-14 team which travelled to California late April, Amanda Lane, Taylor Wessels, Paige Call and Jessica Rowley were hand-picked by EFS head coach Saibo Talic to represent Williams Lake and make the trip.
Morgan Schofield, Isabelle Call, Melissa Rispin, Natasha Lewis and Kara Zurak were selected to a under-17 team for the European tour of the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium in May.
In California, EFS posted a two-win, three-loss record, playing to victories against the South Slammers FC and Laguna Hills High School.
Coaches Talic, Michelle Ring-Passant, a former player on the Canadian women’s national soccer team and Steve MacDonald were pleased with the result.
“They all played very good,” Talic said. “Paige was among the best of the players but all four girls were great. I saw good improvement from Jessica, our goaltender.”
Talic said considering this was the first time that team had played together, he was happy with how the team gelled.
“I’m pleased with the performance,” he said. “We played some very strong under-14 teams.”
For the two-week European tour, Talic said the team won two games and lost four against some tough competition.
“It was a good trip, but really tough for us,” Talic said. “We played six games and considering we lost a 2-0 game to a team with two national German players, I was happy.”
He said Rispin played well in goal, while Lewis impressed him on many levels on the pitch.
“She [Lewis] was playing really well,” Talic said. “Isabelle, Morgan and Kara, too. Overall they did OK.”
Talic is now preparing to bring his annual European Football School soccer camp to Williams Lake July 13-17 at the Esler Sports Complex soccer fields.
More information and registration is available online at www.wlysa.com.