It was a weekend of grit, determination, and remarkable performances for Ponoka’s soccer teams as they took to the field at the Alberta Soccer Provincial Championships March 14-16.
In Calgary, the Ponoka Storm U15 Tier 2 girls just completed an unbelievable weekend.
Some would call it a miracle seeing a community with just over 7,000 people, only 300 soccer players registered, and 14 girls registered at this age group, go up against the top teams in Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat and Fort McMurray.
Most would say just being there is good enough, but not this group of girls.
They showed up and had to face a couple moments of adversity.
Unexpectedly, a week prior to provincials, their long-time head coach was sidelined due to an unforeseen surgery, forcing them to overcome their disappointment and a change in dynamics on the sideline.
This brought the group and coaching staff together as everyone stepped up and put in the extra work needed to compete at the provincial competition.
In their first game, they outplayed a team from Fort McMurray but suffered a very tough 2-1 loss.
To move on, they had to play the top-ranked Calgary team and had to beat them by four goals to move on to the semifinals, which they did. A remarkable feat. A game that showed them over-power the opponent with speed, skill, resilience while playing attacking soccer, the girls kept coming in waves and the number one ranked team from Calgary had no answers.
In the semifinals, they had to play Medicine Hat, a community that's nearly 10 times the size of ours.
The girls won that game 3-1, putting them in the final against an undefeated and number one ranked Edmonton team.
In the gold medal final, the girls battled and lost the game 2-1, but were inches away on several occasions, hitting two crossbars and a post with a few minutes left to go.
It was an unfortunate loss on the score sheet, but a big win in adding another stepping stone in their journey in the game of soccer and life.
Winning a silver medal at provincials, going up against the top clubs in Alberta and some of the top players, is absolutely remarkable. There's something to say when a group of kids come together, have belief in themselves, have a coaching staff that believes in them and a community that supports them and invests in their growth and development - amazing things can be accomplished.
It proves that big things can be accomplished in small towns with the right supports, mentors and attitudes.
Please follow this group of girls journey from Tier 4 rural soccer to the highest of levels in Alberta and soon against international competition when they travel to Lisbon, Portugal to compete in the prestigious IBERcup.
They can be followed on Facebook at Ponoka U15G Europe Excursion.
Meanwhile, in Edmonton, Ponoka’s U15 boys faced their own gauntlet.
They opened their tournament with a commanding 4-2 win over Brooks in a physical contest. Building on their momentum, they overwhelmed Sherwood Park with a dominant 7-2 victory, securing a spot in the semi-finals.
However, their run came to a halt against Edmonton Carlisle, the eventual gold medal winners.
Despite a hard-fought match, Ponoka fell 4-2. The bronze medal match provided a dramatic finish. Ponoka believed they had clinched victory with a last-minute goal, only to concede an equalizer with just 10 seconds remaining. The match went to penalties, where Edmonton Willowby emerged victorious.
The boys finished fourth in the province, a commendable achievement in a fiercely competitive field.
In Red Deer, the U13 girls made their provincial championship debut.
Their opening match against Fort Saskatchewan was a heart-breaker, ending in a narrow 3-2 defeat. Coach Brooke Van Wolde reflected on the tough loss, saying, “The girls all put their heart and soul into the game. They were all in tears, but I know they’ll fight even harder tomorrow.”
Fight they did. The next match against Sherwood Park ended in a 1-1 draw, showing their resilience. In the consolation match, the girls closed out their tournament with a resounding 6-2 victory over Calgary MUSC, finishing seventh out of 12 teams.
“For their first time on the big stage, they played incredibly well,” Van Wolde added.
“This experience will only make them stronger. We’ll see more from this group in the future.”
While the weekend may not have ended with all the medals Ponoka hoped for, the players’ determination and sportsmanship stood out. From thrilling comebacks to last-second heartbreaks, each team left their mark on the pitch.
"Every single one of these players should hold their heads high, they represented Ponoka with pride, and that’s what matters most.”
Congratulations to all the teams for their inspiring performances at provincials!
