A local under-16 boys’ soccer squad made the trip to the Children’s Hospital Tournament, which attracted more than 150 teams at Bloomberg Fields in Winnipeg last weekend.
Nicknamed the “Rage,” they lost their opening match 5-0 to then defending champions from Charleswood and then were downed 3-0 by Assiniboia West.
They tallied their first goal of the tournament in their third and final game against Greendell but came on the short end of a 4-1 score.
Andrew Mueller netted the goal.
“We didn’t win any games,” noted team organizer Jim Curr, who added players paid for their own way. “It was a learning experience.”
Since Curr couldn’t make the trip to Winnipeg, Mike Webb and Jorg Ruppenstein handled the coaching duties.
“It was difficult taking a team who has never played together and trying to anticipate what to expect,” said Webb.
But he added the team played well as the weekend progressed.
“The longer they played together and the more the tournament went on, they got better and more comfortable with each other,” he said. “They represented Fort Frances very well.”
The tournament was the reality of a goal the team had since November, when Curr organized the team in the wake of the dispute by high school teachers over extra-curricular activities.
“I wasn’t sure there was going to be any high school soccer,” said Curr, himself a former high school coach. “I thought it would be a good chance to continue soccer for some of the kids.”
The team had been practising at the St. Francis gym throughout the winter, and now is looking to set up regular practices at the sportsfield every Friday or Sunday.
Webb said the team knows what to expect this time around and will be much better prepared.
“They realized now that the teams are not unbeatable,” he said. “They’ll take that heading into the next tournament.”
The team is planning to enter the Thunder Cup on July 21-22 in Thunder Bay.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
