By Marcel Vander Wier
The Guardian
HUNTER RIVER — An under-12 girls’ soccer team from Hunter River has been named a finalist in a country-wide contest that could net the local soccer pitch $125,000 in upgrades.
To win, the Central Queens Clippers need to garner the most votes in a BMO Team of the Week contest put on by the Bank of Montreal.
The Clippers are the only eligible team from Prince Edward Island.
This spring, the team was named BMO’s Team of the Week for the week of May 25 to June 1, after head coach John VanLeeuwen entered the team into the first-year contest.
While over 500 teams entered the contest, the Clippers were one of 15 teams who took home the weekly honours meant to celebrate youth soccer by encouraging passion for the game, team pride and spirit, and community involvement.
The 15 winning teams will now compete to become grand champion.
VanLeeuwen’s squad fit the description perfectly.
“I’ve coached soccer for over 30 years, and this particular group is really a notch above,” said the 47-year-old, a professor at the Atlantic Veterinary College. “They just all have the right attitude and are so keen to play soccer and support the community.”
“They’ve been just a joy to coach.”
The team battled hard through the spring season played indoors in Stratford and have taken that passion into the summer youth league.
Some players participated in the five-kilometre Run for a Cure, supporting the fight against cancer.
Many members of the team have also taken time to referee house league games for younger participants at the local club.
Winning team of the week honours in late May scored the team new track suits, soccer balls, and two $500 cheques courtesy of BMO — one for the team and the other for charity.
The team spent its $500 on dues for two tournaments, and chose to contribute the second cheque to a Challenge Girls Leadership Club project of which team member Julie VanLeeuwen was a part.
The project raised over $4,000 to build a new classroom for school children in Kenya.
The VanLeeuwen family recently returned from east Africa where they visited the new building and hosted a mixed-gender Soccer Day in Kenya with more donated soccer balls from BMO and jerseys from the Central Queens Soccer Club.
“We just had a fabulous day,” said VanLeeuwen.
If the Clippers win the contest’s grand prize, they will win not only $125,000 towards soccer field upgrading but also a team trip to a MLS game featuring either the Toronto FC or Vancouver Whitecaps and $5,000 towards a charity of the club’s choice.
Plans are already in place to put the potential winnings to good use on the six soccer fields at the Elmer G. MacDonald Soccer Complex, VanLeeuwen said.
The two newest pitches are in dire need of top soil and irrigation, while the Central Queens’ soccer clubhouse could use more bathrooms and a general facelift.
However, competition is expected to be tough.
“Each of the finalists truly exemplifies the spirit of BMO Team of the Week Contest and the teams are wonderful ambassadors for youth soccer in this country,” said BMO sponsorship vice-president Sandy Bourne.
Visit www.bmosoccer.com to vote and follow the appropriate links.
Voting will take place from Aug. 1 to 15 with the winning team to be announced Aug. 22 on Canada AM.
Each email address is entitled to one vote per day during the time allotted.
