Winnipeg South End United shined at nationals

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/10/2022 (1454 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A clutch of players on the Winnipeg South End United U17 girls soccer team has ended a chapter of their youth athletic career with ferocity.

The team recently travelled to Surrey, B.C., to compete in the 2022 national club championships. The team, which is almost an even split between 16 and 17 year olds, finished sixth in a field of 11 top-tier opponents from across Canada.

Hadley Anthony, a 17-year-old centre back, said the tournament challenged her team in a new way. She pointed to high-octane games against Quebec and B.C.

“As a team, we showcased what we can really do,” Anthony said in an interview from the sidelines of the team’s first indoor practice of the year at the Winnipeg Soccer Federation South complex. The girls had arrived back in Winnipeg at 2 a.m. that same day.

Anthony represented Team Manitoba during the Canada Summer Games in Ontario’s Niagara region in August. She said she had a rigorous summer practice schedule, training for Team Manitoba each morning and joining her WSEU teammates for one or two practices a week.

While the stakes were high at club nationals, Anthony said the experience was a smidgen less stressful than the Canada Games. She is looking forward to playing soccer for the University of Saskatchewan next August, where she intends to eventually study law.

“The coach really sold me on what they’re trying to build there,” the St. Vital resident said. “He’s a good coach.”

To qualify for nationals, South End placed first in the 2022 Youth Manitoba Soccer Association Cup by defeating the 1v1 Futbol Dreams Academy in July.

The team was ranked seventh going in to the national tourney. The girls beat New Brunswick 2-0 and then knocked off P.E.I. 3-0. They lost 5-1 to Quebec and were defeated 4-1 by B.C. team. In a playoff placement game against Nova Scotia, they were beaten 5-1.

“I think we exceeded all expectations,” said Mark Plett, who has coached the group since May 2019.

The team has a culture of success, Plett said. During his time coaching the now 17-year-old girls, Plett saw the team finish first in its leagues during both indoor and outdoor seasons.

Plett said that a road trip to play the league’s Thunder Bay team gave the players an opportunity to bond off the field.

Mikaela De Luca, the WSEU’s 16-year-old right back, is proud of her team’s resilience during the club nationals.

“We had a lot of tough competition,” said De Luca, who lives in Westwood. “Not every play went our way, but our team still fought hard, no matter the challenge.”

De Luca has a play-by-play memory of her favourite moment in Surrey. South End was down 1-0 against Quebec. The opposing team had just scored, and roughly 15 seconds later, United’s Chloe Wilson knocked in a free kick about 35 yards out. Taryn Cabak got hold of the ball and put it into the net.

“It was an amazing goal,” De Luca said, adding it was the team’s first goal of the tournament. She said she hopes to play soccer for the University of Regina when she graduates from Westwood Collegiate.

For now, De Luca has three more games to look forward to with South End team this season.

“I’ve enjoyed every moment of my last year with South End. I loved it,” De Luca said.

Amber Ostermann, the team’s assistant coach and manager, is thankful the team got its time in the spotlight, especially in light of cancelled tournaments and seasons owing to the pandemic.

“This was their chance and their year and they definitely grabbed it,” Ostermann said. “I hope the memories that they have will last a long time.”