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Youth soccer, UNBC join forces

The Prince George Youth Soccer Association has scored a partnership with UNBC Athletics that will be beneficial to both sides on the pitch.

The Prince George Youth Soccer Association has scored a partnership with UNBC Athletics that will be beneficial to both sides on the pitch.

The partnership is intended to assist in the development of players, coaches and referees and build a pathway for youth players to graduate from PGYSA and continue to play soccer at UNBC at the CIS Canada West level.

“This has finally come to fruition, we’re excited about it,” said Len McNamara, executive director of PGYSA, who was championing the agreement for some time.

“From PGYSA’s point of view, it always seemed natural to aspire to play CIS soccer. From our membership point of view, we’ll have closer working relationships with UNBC coaches who will help out during evaluations and at our coach’s evaluations [in April].”

The first step of the new partnership is the re-branding of the PGYSA Select program this spring, which will now be known as the PGYSA Timberwolves.

The Selects program is comprised of U13 to U18 boys and girls teams, around 225 athletes who try out, travel to various tournaments and compete at provincial youth soccer championships.

The T-wolves logo will also be on the front of the players’ uniforms.

“The [change to] the T-wolves will build a closer connection with UNBC and people will become more educated,” said McNamara, adding the resources and expertise of UNBC’s coaches and players will benefit everyone.

An outreach soccer program will also be established. UNBC players will visit schools in January and February of 2015 and will promote physical literacy through soccer activities. It will all culminate in a festival in March.

“UNBC Athletics is very excited to join in this partnership with PGYSA,” said UNBC Athletics and Recreation Director Loralyn Murdoch.

“It is a fantastic opportunity for us to give back to the grassroots and we are looking forward to seeing the Timberwolf logo displayed on team uniforms this spring.”

Tryouts for the PGYSA T-wolves start next week and continue until spring break next month.

Most of the teams will then compete at an icebreaker tournament in the Okanagan on Easter weekend in April.