Showcase tournament pays big for Soccer Quest Thunder, four player receive scholarship offers
By Bruce Fuhr
Three games. Three losses.
That’s the statistical information about the Kootenay Thunder at the Whitecaps Showcase Girl’s Soccer Tournament last weekend in Surrey.
However, there is more to this event than just stats.
The Thunder may have lost three games, but the Soccer Quest sponsored squad came away with a ton of knowledge and confidence a team from the Kootenays can compete against the best the province has to offer.
Oh, and did we add into the equation that no less than four players off the squad have received offers from college and university recruiters scouting the tournament?
“This was definitely worth coming down her to play in this tournament,” said Thunder coach Jamie Spendlove with players on the team from throughout the Kootenays.
“We proved we can play against the best in B.C plus the girls got seen by scouts.”
Kootenay opened the tourney Saturday against the top team in the province, Surrey United.
The squad trailed 1-0 before the Fraser Valley squad scored twice down the stretch to win 3-0.
Lost in the score was the fact the Thunder lost two players to injury — defenders Sarah Fuhr and Samantha Einarson.
Fuhr’s injury looked to be the worst of the two.
However, when Einarson was fully assessed the new was not good.
The Grade 12 student at L.V. Rogers had suffered a severe leg injury that required surgery over the weekend to correct.
Fuhr was also lost to the Thunder for the weekend with a sprained ankle.
The injuries forced Spendlove to Duct Tape the backline and forcing the likes of Taylor Stewart and Brittany Wheeler to fill in and play full games.
Saturday, Kootenay fell 2-1 to Mountain United.
Courtney Daly of Kamloops scored the only goal for the Thunder.
Sunday, Kootenay ran out of gas, holding high-powered Vancouver Island Wave to a 1-1 draw for most of the game before the Island squad scored two late goals for a 3-1 victory.
Kelsey Martin of Kamloops scored the lone goal for Kootenay.
Olivia Alexis of Burnaby was in goal for all three games.
During the tournament Thunder midfielder Andrea Stinson received an offer to attend the University of Calgary Dinos in the fall.
Haley McLean of Castlegar received an offer from Lethbridge while college scouts from Southern Alberta also cited Nelson defender Brittany Wheeler and forward/midfielder Morag Paterson.
