A season of firsts kicks off on the road for the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves soccer teams.
Both the men's and women's soccer squads begin their inaugural Canada West seasons by taking to the road in September. The women head east where they'll face the Winnipeg Wesmen Sept. 8, and the Manitoba Bisons, Sept. 9, while the T-wolves men head to Vancouver Island for a pair of contests with the CIS defending champion Victoria Vikes on Sept. 7-8.
Prince George will receive its first taste of Canada West soccer Sept. 15-16 when the women host Victoria and Fraser Valley.
The move to Canada West and CIS play meant the T-wolves needed to hire full-time soccer coaches. Alan Alderson was hired to lead the UNBC men into battle while Andy Cameron will be on the pitch with the women.
Alderson said he's excited about starting the season against the top two teams from 2011.
"We aspire to one day being one of the strongest programs in the country so we may as well find out where we stand," said Alderson, adding it doesn't get any easier in Week 2 when the T-wolves head east to face the 2011 Canada West champion Alberta Golden Bears followed by a bus trip to Saskatoon to play the Saskatchewan Huskies.
"The scheduler certainly wasn't kind to us as far as difficulty," he said. "The first four games are certainly going to challenge us. Even well-seasoned programs would struggle with that kind of start."
With three new schools - UNBC, Winnipeg and Calgary's Mount Royal University - entering the Canada West for the 2012 soccer campaign a few changes, including a new playoff format, was necessary.
Alderson said he's glad the T-wolves aren't the only new team entering the league in 2012.
"Hopefully, it'll be beneficial for us as the [veteran] teams won't be able to look at just us as the easy mark on the schedule," he said.
The women will play a 12-game schedule with eight teams clinching a playoff spot, while the men will play an unbalanced, two-division schedule. UNBC will be a part of the Pacific Division that will play 14 games. The Prairie Division will play a 15-game regular season. The top six teams will earn playoff spots.
Other women's teams visiting Prince George in the fall include the Saskatchewan Huskies, Regina Cougars, Calgary Dinos and Lethbridge Pronghorns.
The UNBC men begin the home portion of their season Sept. 22-23 against the visiting Trinity Western University Spartans. Other teams coming to Prince George include the Calgary Dinos, Lethbridge Pronghorns and the University of Fraser Valley Cascades.
"When you play in Canada West it's tough," said Alderson. "The difference between the top teams and the bottom teams is not that much and the top teams in Canada West are the very top teams in the country."
TWO SIDEBARS - MEN/WOMEN SKEDS:
2012 Canada West Men's Soccer Schedule
Sept. 7: UNBC at Victoria, 7:15 p.m.
Sept. 8: UNBC at Victoria, 7:15 p.m.
Sept. 15: UNBC at Alberta, 2 p.m.
Sept. 16: UNBC at Saskatchewan, 2:15 p.m.
Sept. 22: TWU at UNBC, 2:15 p.m.
Sept. 23: TWU at UNBC, 2:15 p.m.
Sept. 29: Calgary at UNBC, noon
Sept. 30: Lethbridge at UNBC, noon
Oct. 5: UNBC at UBC, 7 p.m.
Oct. 6: UNBC at UBC, 7 p.m.
Oct. 13: UFV at UNBC, noon
Oct. 14: UFV at UNBC, noon
Oct. 20: UNBC at MRU, 2 p.m.
Oct. 21: UNBC at Winnipeg, noon
2012 Canada West Women's Soccer Schedule
Sept. 8: UNBC at Winnipeg, 4 p.m.
Sept. 9: UNBC at Manitoba, 6 p.m.
Sept. 15: Victoria at UNBC, noon
Sept. 16: UFV at UNBC, noon
Sept. 22: Saskatchewan, at UNBC noon
Sept. 23: Regina at UNBC, noon
Sept. 29: UNBC at MRU, noon
Sept. 30: UNBC at Alberta, 2 p.m.
Oct. 6: Calgary at UNBC, noon
Oct. 7: Lethbridge at UNBC, noon
Oct. 12: UNBC at TWU, 5 p.m.
Oct. 13: UNBC at UBC, 5 p.m.
