Casandra Evans (Snucins)

With everyone’s attention still focused on the recently completed World Cup of Soccer, the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s soccer program has announced its training camp and pre season schedule.

Head Coach Tom McManus will open his camp on Saturday August 14 th at Hillside Staduim.  The prospects and veterans will have two workouts that day.  The first one from 9-11 am with the second from 2-330 pm.   They will also have two a day workouts Sunday August 15 th  from 9-11 am and 2-4 pm.  The team will then have a camp consisting of intra-squad matches and training sessions.

“I ‘m expecting the preseason training camp to be very competitive,” he says.  “I have told all of the recruits that every position is up for grabs. They should come in fit and be ready to play.   Im expecting it to be a good camp in preparation for out pre season and exhibition matches and the season ahead.”

McManus is pleased with his crop of recruits: the second year he has had to do that since taking over as WolfPack head coach. ” I think we have a good recruiting squad coming in. Some of these players were scouted last year and we just had to wait a year for them to graduate. Last year,I expected a few people who ended up not coming in and that was disappointing. I have never experienced that before as anyone I had recruited in the past always arrive in time for training camp at McMaster University.  It should be the same this year.”

The WolfPack will have a number of veterans back from last season.  On paper, the club’s two fifth year players in 2010 are expected to be Shannen Meyer and Val Godard (both graduates of the Kamloops Youth Soccer Association).  McManus  has a message for all his returnees.   ” It is simple,” he says.  ” Come in and work hard as we want to get back to the nationals this year, after missing out on them last year.  Work together and form a team.”

TRU will host a four team exhibition tourney August 28 th and 29 th at Hillside Stadium.  The University of Saskatchewan, University of Fraser Valley and Mount Royal will be the other squads taking part.

“Im looking forward to training camp and seeing the players in action,” McManus adds.  ” I think the camp will be intense as everyone is fighting for a job and no one has a guarantee.”

The ‘Pack open their 2010 BC College Athletic Association Season Saturday September 11 th in North Vancouver against Capilano University College.  Their home opener is Saturday September 18 th at Hillside Stadium against the Vancouver Island University Mariners.

(A. Snucins photo)

It’s another weekend on the road for the Kamloops Heat U-21 womens’ soccer team. The Heat will pay a visit on Father’s Day (June 20) to Penticton to meet up with the Pinnacles.

Penticton enters the weekend in fifth place in the Pacific Coast Soccer League women’s reserve division with four wins, two losses and a tie.  Kamloops sits in eighth spot with two wins, four losses and four ties.

The two teams have some history.  Last season, the Pinnacles knocked the Heat out of the playoffs by beating them in the semi finals.

“They are a very good team,” said Heat head coach Tom McManus. “They are a quality team, but we will work hard and see what we can do.”

The Heat have had trouble with numbers of late-mainly because a number of their players also have to work in order to afford their post secondary education, many of whom go to Thompson Rivers University.  Add to that, the Heat have also suffered a number of injuries.

“Kelli Chamberlain (forward, Toronto, ON, Queen’s University) and Natasha Little (defender, Kamloops, BC, TRU)  are still out but Natasha is getting closer,” says McManus. “ Everyone else should be healthy other than the work situation.  Last week we had to go down to the Lower Mainland with 12 players for Saturday and then 11 for Sunday.  Not a good situation at all.”

The Heat have one more weekend on the road. They don’t return to Hillside Stadium until Saturday June 26 th when they entertain the Richmond Girls Soccer Club. That match is set for 3 pm.

Alanna Bekkering

—The Kamloops Heat U-21 women’s reserves could be in trouble as they enter two possible ‘winable’ matches in the Pacific Coast Soccer League women’s reserve division.   The Heat travel to the Lower Mainland to take on the North Shore Girls Soccer Club Stars on Saturday (June 12) before facing the Vancouver Football Club on Sunday (June 13 th).

The Heat go into the weekend with two wins, three losses and three ties.  That sits them in seventh spot in the division.  Last weekend (June 5-6), Kamloops lost to North Shore but then tied the top ranked TSS Academy.

“ We had a strange weekend, “ said Heat and Thompson Rivers University WolfPack head coach Tom McManus.  “ We played terrible against the last place team but played well against the first place team. I am hoping that is the turning point of the season but once again this weekend, we will be short on numbers. The need for work (employment) is going to hurt us and I hope that we have one sub going into the weekend for both games. It is going to be very tough.”

McManus would like a little retribution against NSGSC (3-5-2), who beat the Heat 2-1 to move into sixth place the division.  “That would be great. But the problem again, like I said is we may be very short of players.”

He does hope the momentum that his young squad got against TSS will pay dividends when they hit the pitch this weekend.  “ The players did well Tuesday (June in training. I would like it to have them continue with what they were doing. But, again we won’t have the same group of players with us this week.”

McManus stops short of saying this weekend’s play are must win situations.  “  We do need to get results. It seems that almost all of the teams in the league are doing the same thing: being non consistent.”

The Vancouver FC (4-3-1) are tied for second in the PCSL.  They lost to Kamloops 4-0 when the two teams met last, May 15 th at Hillside Stadium.

The Heat don’t play at home again until June 26 th when they entertain the Richmond Girls Soccer Club at Hillside.

Val Godard had the lone goal for the Heat

In what coach Tom McManus called a dreadful outing by his squad, the Kamloops Heat U-21 Reserves dropped a 2-1 decision to the North Shore Girls Soccer Club.  The Pacific Coast Soccer League Women’s Reserve League match was played at Hillside Stadium on Saturday (June 5).

Alanna Bekkering (A. Snucins photo)

The Heat opened the scoring in the 8 th minute when Val Godard (TRU, Kamloops, BC) converted a through ball from TRU WolfPack teammate Alanna Bekkering (Kamloops, BC).

North Shore tied it up before the end of the first half.  In the 22^nd minute, a miss communication between Heat goalie Christine Tallon (U of A, Kamloops, BC) and midfielder  Maddy Reid (TRU, Kamloops, BC) resulted in the ball being kicked wildly, deflecting off a North Shore player and in.

The side from the Coast got the winner in the 80 th minute when they got a breakaway and broke around Heat player Shannen Meyer (TRU, Kamloops, BC) and scored.

McManus played a lot of his younger players in the second half assuming they would hold onto beat the previously winless North Shore team.

“This is two weeks in a row where we have been inconsistent,” McManus explained.  “ I told the girls they better look in the mirror and come out with a better effort tomorrow (Sunday June 6).”

The Heat play the top team in the PCSL Women’s Reserve Division: TSS Academy.  Kick off is 3 pm at McArthur Island Field #5.  The Heat were moved out of Hillside Stadium by the CFL BC Lions.  The Leos are having their training camp at TRU and Hillside.

Ashley Piggot (A. Snucins photo)

The Kamloops Heat will meet the top and bottom sides of the Pacific Coast Soccer League’s Women’s Reserve Division as they host a pair of games this weekend (June 5-6).

The Heat will entertain the North Shore Girls Soccer Club Saturday (June 5) at Hillside Stadium ( 4 pm) before being forced over to McCarthur Island #5 on Sunday (June 6) to play the TSS Academy. Kick off is 3 pm.

 Heat and Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s head coach Tom McManus is taking a ‘business as usual’ approach to the weekend.

 “This will be as they all are, a tough weekend.” He says. “  North Shore who we play on Saturday has been up and down so I have no idea what to expect from them.  TSS has been on a tear and they are sitting in first place right now undefeated.  They beat us 3-1 the last time the team was there.  I have not idea what the team is like as I wasn’t there but I know they are very fast and play well together.”

 TSS occupies first place in the league with a perfect 6 and 0 record.  TSS beat Kamloops 3-1 on May 9^th on the Lower Mainland.   

 North Shore occupy the bottom of the league with five losses and two draws.  

 The Heat,who sport no less than 17 current or future WolfPack players on its roster are sixth in league play with two wins, two losses and two draws.

It has been another week of working on fundamentals, possession play and scoring for the Heat in practice.  McManus says the injury situation heading into the weekend remains the same. “We still have a couple of players out, Kelli(Chamberlain, forward, Queens University, Toronto, ON) and Natasha (Little, defender, TRU, Kamloops, BC) , but everyone else seems fairly healthy.  The work situation is really what is hurting us this year and there will be a few players missing this weekend again.  What can you do though as the girls need to work in order to go to school.  Tough situation for everyone.”

One player who has been finding the back of the net in recent games is midfielder Ashley Piggot (TRU, Prince George, BC)  she has two goals in the last two games.   Says coach McmManus “ She has been excellent the entire year.  She is a silent assassin.  You don’t see her coming and the next you know she has stripped the ball from you and has either made a great pass or is on a run or is taking the shot.  Very smart player. “

With six games under their belt, McManus believes the Heat players are buying into what he is trying to teach them.” They believe in what we are doing not all they have to do is execute it. The midfield has done fairly well but I am still looking for that one player who can step into Bronwyn’s place.  That is a crucial position and she did a great job at it but she is our with her ACL so we have to move on.”

McManus is referring to Bronwyn Crawford (Midfield, TRU, Kamloops, BC) who suffered the injury in an indoor game before the start of the PCSL season.