HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY, N.L.
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
CANADA
The Under 12 Happy Valley-Goose Bay All Star Soccer Team was on the Burin Peninsula Aug. 18-19 for an All-Star Soccer Tournament, hosted by the St Lawrence Soccer Association.
The girls competed in four separate matches across the three days of competition, finishing the tournament with one win, one draw and two losses.
Todd Walsh and Pat Adams coach the team.
Walsh told The Labradorian, following the tournament, “Our first game of the tournament was really our first real game as a team against competition, so we started off a bit slow. But throughout the weekend we got better.
“I like coaching these age groups because it’s more than just soccer, it’s about life skills, respect, accountability and that’s what I really enjoy. I hope I continue to coach, they’re a great bunch of kids,” he says.
The town of St Lawrence is a hot bed for soccer activity in Newfoundland, and the organisers did a great job coordinating the matches across the two different locations, Walsh adds.
“It was a great event to be a part of.”
It was quite the effort for the HVGB teams to compete in this tournament, and other tournaments this summer that took local teams to Harbour Grace, Mount Pearl and Grand Falls.
Walsh notes it required months and months of fundraising to cover the costs of air travel and accommodation.
Todd Walsh told The Labradorian that the one thing he would like to see is teams from the Island (Newfoundland) come to Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
“It would be great to see Goose Bay host a provincial tournament.”