Coach Casey Hall's expectations are simple: score goals and play as a team the best they can.
While members of the 100 Mile House & District Soccer Association have been busy preparing for the upcoming Les Sinnott Memorial Boys Provincial Cup (U13-U15), players on the local U14 host squad have been busy too.
And they're about to get busier as extra practices are slated every week now leading into the provincial tournament, which is drawing 24 teams from around British Columbia to the Soccer Park in 100 Mile House for eight team round robins leading to single elimination knockout matches, July 9-12.
There are a lot of nerves and excitement around 100 Mile House's squad, which has played only a handful of competitive games together in the Cariboo Youth Soccer League this season.
The teams pushing through at the provincial level are usually more experienced ones that have larger numbers of players to choose from, have tryouts, and make cuts, Hall explains.
100 Mile House is a smaller, younger squad in comparison. However, there's a lot of “real talent” up front in 100 Mile House's striker and midfield positions, the coach adds.
“I'm hoping they'll be able to put some more balls in the net for us. We have to play defensively minded, play a safe style of play. But, like I say, we do have some real talent, talent that would be talent anywhere in this province. I'm hoping they'll be able to put some points up.”
With respect to how he'll measure the team's success in the tournament, in which 100 Mile is likely to match up against some equally talented and more experienced teams, Hall says he wants to see the boys score in every match they play, and win at least one game at the provincial level, while giving it their all.
“I know it sounds cliché,” he says. “But that's what I want to see out of the boys – they're very best.”
The U14 roster includes: Wylon Hall, Cameron Ardiel, Dylan Carr, Pete Peterson, Adam Sullivan, Tyson Fitzgerald, Jake Cuttler, Hayden Prodnuk, Noah Dykstra, Josh Hutchins, Nigel Swann, Lee Machete, Dylan Newhook, Ryan Grant and Cory Mapson.