Soccer season is officially underway in Penticton.
Ezra Cremers, executive director and head coach of Pinnacles FC, said he feels they have the best program on the field to date. They are more organized than before and have made positive changes to their youth league, mini program and competitive program. PFC has also hired a full-time recreational head coach and administrator, something they haven’t had.
“We will be running the best recreational program we’ve had to date,” said Cremers.
PFC is also offering competitive soccer for the under-nine and-10 age groups. Registration for the younger age groups in the academy is the biggest we has seen, said Cremers. PFC is also making changes in how they assemble teams to ensure there is enough players. They have also created a wait list.
“A lot of times because we are a small community, where we have roughly lets say 28 to 30 players interested for a specific age group, what do you do?,” said Cremers. “Do you just cut it and have eight players not play at all? Or do you make two rosters that are smaller? I do know we had some of those issues last year. From our club’s point of view, we want to create every opportunity for every player who registers in a club to have a place to play.”
Pinnacles FC programs opened on April 2 picking up four wins in five games. In the under-15, the Pinnacles FC Excelsior girls defeated Kelowna 3-1, in the under-18 group, Excelsior edged Kamloops 3-2, and in under-16, Excelsior doubled up Salmon Arm 4-2. In boys action, under-14, PFC was blanked 4-0, while the under-16’s blanked Salmon Arm 2-0.
A Blizzard coming to Penticton
This weekend, April 7 to 9, PFC welcomes the Calgary Blizzard for their spring training camp. The Blizzard love coming for the milder weather, quality fields and top notch facilities. Their visit also provides Excelsior teams a chance to play friendlies against high-caliber teams. The Blizzard are bringing their under-11 and -12 boys teams, as well as under-11 and -12 girls teams and a 03-04 born girls team. The action begins Friday at 6 p.m. and wraps up Sunday with games at 4 p.m. Some games will be played 11 versus 11 and others eight versus eight.