Penticton’s under-21 female Pinnacles soccer team is taking a one-year absence from the Pacific Coast Soccer League.
While the club hadn’t yet signed a sponsor to provide financial support for the 2011 season, president Dale Anderson said the reason behind it is because the Pinnacles were unable to get at least 11 players signed.
“I’m disappointed but sometimes the demographics make it very difficult to come up with enough players to support a team that has to travel around,” said Anderson, who knows coach Ray Hintz tried his best to field a team.
Hintz said the main reason the Pinnacles aren’t playing is because of the sponsorship. During the past four years, the team has received tremendous support from Structurlam, which wanted to change how it used the $10,000 it donated. But Anderson said he and Hintz don’t have different views on the matter.
“Ray knows I didn’t have a signed sponsor. He also didn’t have even 11 players signed,” answered Anderson when asked if they were on the same page. “This is an expensive team to operate. When you look at operating as the soccer club, you’re looking at probably $10,000 a year, minimum. That is a huge financial commitment from the club. That’s probably from a coach’s perspective. Would you commit $10,000 to a team that doesn’t have 11 players signed?”
Hintz doesn’t see this causing a negative impact. However, he is more disappointed because the Pinnacles are hosting the PCSL playoffs.
“There was only going to be one team going in, either the men or the ladies,” explained Hintz. “Now the guys get to go in for sure. They (PCSL) were going to lean towards the ladies because of past success.”
One of the options to fill the roster was to get help from the under-18 district team. However, that group of players wanted to stay together to try and repeat their championship success of last season.
Anderson said they will have sponsorship in place for 2012. The boys team has Tim Horton’s support again, and is joined by Skaha Meadows Golf Course and ReMax. The boys team will also have a new coach in Tony Munoz, who was with the under-18 district team. Munoz is replacing Chris Bennett, who Anderson said has returned to work in the Lower Mainland. The boys team will begins its season at home against the Chilliwack FC at King’s Park at 4 p.m.