Lucas Punkari
While most people around here probably aren’t thinking about the “beautiful game” at this time of year, winter isn’t standing in the way of three local soccer players as they look to develop their skills.
Claire Hyatt and Liam Metke, Grade 9 students at Fort High, and Cameron Lidkea, a Grade 8 at J.W. Walker School here, have been suiting up for the Kenora U14 youth soccer team in the Winnipeg Youth Soccer Association’s U14 boys’ indoor league since October—and learning a lot as they go up against some of the top players there.
“It’s a lot different than what it’s like here in Fort Frances,” said Lidkea, who usually plays as a striker.
“There’s a lot of competition down there and it’s a really fast-paced league, so it’s a lot different for me, especially since I’m playing against the boys instead of the girls,” noted Hyatt, who plays at a variety of positions for the team.
Having previously been identified for the U12 Northwestern Ontario regional soccer team, all three had the chance to play for the Kenora squad this year, where they found themselves teaming up with players they weren’t familiar with.
“Prior to this season, I hadn’t interacted with a lot of the kids from Kenora before,” said Metke, who is a defender.
“But we are starting to get an idea of what they are like,” he remarked. “And as we get to see them in other sports as we move along, we will have that special bond already.”
Besides getting used to new teammates, all three players also have had to deal with the travel from Fort Frances to Winnipeg for their league games, which take place every second Sunday.
“There are a lot of early morning for us,” Hyatt said.
“We usually get up about 5:30 a.m. on Sundays and leave right after, and then we get there for our games, which are usually at 11:45 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.,” she added.
The Kenora squad—currently sixth in the 10-team league with a 3-6-1 record—is trying to move up in the very tight standings before the playoffs get underway in the new year.
“I think that we have really meshed together as a team since the start of the [season],” Lidkea said.
“When we got into our first game, we hadn’t played together before so we didn’t really know our style of play,” echoed Hyatt.
“But now we know where we are out there and we are moving the ball around better.”
All three also are learning things they feel will help them as they hope to advance to higher levels of soccer.
“As a defender, I’m getting a lot more confident in getting in front of the strikers as they take a shot, instead of letting the ball go by me and hit my goalie,” Metke explained.
“Sometimes when I’m playing in a different position, it’s harder to know where you are all of the time,” Hyatt admitted.
“But once you know the position, you really start to get a better feel for it, and you become a lot quicker in your passes and become better in your attacking and defending,” she added.
Lidkea feels a big factor in that improvement, especially when it comes to his own play as a striker, comes from the coaching staff of the Kenora team, which is led by manager Bill Taylor.
“As soon as you come off the field and go to the sidelines, they are right there to tell you what you are doing well in and you can improve on,” he noted.
“I find that it really makes you think about what you are doing, and I really like that,” Lidkea added.
While the long-term goals for both Lidkea and Metke are to become members of the Muskie boys’ soccer team, Hyatt is hoping to see herself back in Winnipeg down the road to try out for the Manitoba provincial team.
“The tryouts for that would take place next fall, and you would be playing with the team there every Saturday,” she remarked.
“Hopefully, I will be able to make it farther there than I did with the regional team in Thunder Bay,” Hyatt added.
