Nelson Star Friday, May 10, 2013
Sports
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Local Club Inks Deal with Vancouver-Based Professional Team
Youth soccer partners with Whitecaps BOB HALL Nelson Star Editor
As the soccer season in the Kootenays kicks up, the Nelson Youth Soccer Association is jumping into spring with excitement and optimism. Players and coaches in Nelson Youth Soccer will have an opportunity for improvement unmatched in rural outposts across the province. Earlier this month, the association inked a deal with the Vancouver Whitecaps to bring technical assistance to the program. “Nelson Youth Soccer is taking a huge step forward with this,” says association president Chuck Bennett. “It’s an opportunity for us to grow even further and improve our program even more.” The agreement between the Whitecaps and Nelson Youth Soccer has been in the works for six months. The one-year contract will bring technical mentoring to the soccer board, its coaches and the players. The Vancouver Whitecaps FC is the professional soccer club that competes in the Major Soccer League (MLS) which includes teams from all across Canada and the United States. In recent years
the club has branched out into the province where it has set up regional academy centres geared towards developing players and improving the overall quality of the sport in BC. Whitecaps FC Okanagan head coach David Broadhurst will head up the program in Nelson this spring. “Ultimately… technique, technique, technique,” Broadhurst says of the focus of the program he will bring to Nelson. “If they can refine and improve their fundamental skills, then they have the opportunity improve tactics which will make an impact in game situations. The message is: you can’t neglect the technical skills.” In the past few years, Nelson Youth Soccer has used Soccer Quest for its technical program. That partnership will continue and the coaches that are based out of the indoor facility will continue to work with Nelson Youth Soccer, but it will now be run through the Whitecaps. “We are going to build on the good work that Soccer Quest has done in the last few years,” says Broadhurst. “We will continue to utilize them to help continue to improve the program.” Broadhurst grew up in England
model for all the other regions and clubs to follow. This will strengthen the entire Kootenay region.” Broadhurst says Nelson has already established itself as the leader in the Kootenays and it was the perfect place to start. “This is a smaller centre, but we have seen the potential here,” he says. “There are good athletes here and we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t believe that. We feel we can continue to develop the players even further.” And though the program is not specifically geared towards elite players, Broadhurst says those Nelson Youth Soccer Association president Chuck Bennett (left) and Whitecaps kids looking to take their game regional coach David Broadhurst (right) sign the agreement between the two to the next level will benefit from sides. the grassroots approach. “Ultimately in the long run, 10 The Whitecaps have set up six where football is king. He spent years or 15 years down the road, 12 years coaching with the Man- regional centres across the provit potentially benefits our [Whitechester United Soccer Schools at ince. One of those centres is the caps] club because these are the international projects in the UK, Kootenays where the club ran a players that could be feeding our successful winter program in the Japan and Switzerland. first team, ” says Broadhurst. Broadhurst is travelling to Nel- last few months for players from “Opportunities in the smaller son two days a week. He works Grand Forks to Cranbrook. districts like Nelson may have This contract is different than directly on the field with players been few and far between in the and coaches while in the com- the regional centre and is the past, but through our regional munity. The Soccer Quest coaches smallest association the Whiteacademy centre network we can are providing assistance on an on- caps are now working with on a now provide genuine opporturegular basis. going basis. nities for players and coaches to “We want Nelson Youth Soc“In order for us to affect every gain a higher level of coaching single player, we have to build cer to be the leader for coach and strong coaches and that has to player development,” says Ben- experience which ultimately benbe an important focus,” he says. nett. “This association can be the efits the player.”
Nelson senior returns home as badminton world champion Nelson super senior Roger Kerby has added another medal to his trophy case. The 81-year-old local recently returned from the 2013 Canadian Masters Badminton Championship
from April 22 to the 27. The next big competition for the badminton ace is the BC Seniors Games which will be held in Kamloops in August. Last year Kerby was honoured as one of 11 BC seniors who have participated in every seniors games held over the past 25 years.
LVR 2013 Grad Class Fundraiser BBQ and Car Wash at Nelson Ford Saturday, May 11 9am - 4pm By donation
Bob Hall photo
Nelson Star Staff
in Richmond where he took the gold medal in the 80-plus singles category. Kerby also competed in the 70-plus doubles and 75-plus mixed doubles brackets. More than 200 badminton players from around the world competed in the competition which ran
Come ou t and supp ort the Grad Class