Forfeit = Win = League Champions

Our last league game against Abbotsford (Abby) this weekend was forfeited by Abby due to lack of players (holidays and injuries ... Olympics Men's Hockey Gold Game?!?) and because the schedule will not allow a make-up game (College Prospects tournament, spring break, etc.) it will be impossible to have a rescheduled. Because of this, we get the full three points for a win and this gives us more than the one point required to wrap up the league title.

It is not the way the girls wanted to win it ... they wanted to travel to Abby and do it on their own! This is champion mentality – I love it.  So, although a bit anticlimactic, we have achieved a great goal of ours.
So ... celebrate this weekend with your players as they are league champions!!!

Over the next month and a half we will start focussing the girls in for the Cup play and we will be in touch again with another email regarding practise schedule over the next month or so.
– Our first Cup game will be April 11th
– Because we finishe dthe league in first place we get a bye in the Cup play preliminary rounds and all of our cup games will be at home/Victoria - except for the final


"Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character” T. Alan Armstrong

PS ... There was no drinking of beer or Champagne or smoking cigars at practise last Thursday – but we did have some cupcakes, cookies and shared a bottle of sparkling apple juice :-)

Caps One Step Closer to Tying Up League Title

Like last week's game, the Caps sent Surdel home with nothing to show for their trip over to the Island ... No points, no goals, no smiles!

Today was a glorious day for soccer ... sun shine, slightly cool and no wind.  The Caps were down a couple of players due to illnesses / injuries but the players stepped up for one another and dug deep to play the feisty, much improved Surdel Vipers. 

Except for the final 15 minutes of the first half, the Caps were in total control of the game.  We scored early in the game (7 minute mark) off of a great cross from Kristin to a waiting Georgia and Kathy in front of the Surdel net and it would be Kathy that put the goal home.  Later in the first half, Surdel got a burst of energy and confidence which allowed them to get some very good chances at our net.  Two chances come to mind ... One brilliant diving save by Natalie that was going into the upper corner of the net and a goal line defending clearance by Rachel.

After a halftime talk by coaching staff and the girls' own halftime huddled (to set some second half goals of their own) - the Caps came out in the second half and took it to Surdel.  The chances came in waves with many good chances thwarted by some decent goal keeping by Surdel keeper (and some questionable lack of calls by the game officials).  Harmony's perseverance on a number of pressuring runs resulted in our second goal with her lovely assist to Kathy.  As for defending in the second half, Surdel was kept shotless!

Because of our stalwart team defence and due to "Air-Natalie" ... the Caps secured another clean sheet (shut out).  Another great team effort today ladies!

“Champions aren´t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision.”  Muhammad Ali

Caps Send Coquitlam Home Empty Handed

Caps GU15 Send Coquitlam Home Empty Handed ... No points, no goals, no smiles!

A very loose and energized Capitals team struck hard and fast against the Coquitlas Metro Ford Breakers yesterday under a dull sky at PISE.  The girls were agressive and played their team-based tactical game "To a T".  There was trust and support from the beginning whistle and the girls were rewarded with their first goal at the 10 minute mark and their second goal at the 13 minute mark.

The 2-0 lead at half allowed the Caps to expirement with other formations in the second half.  Again, hard work and team work were rewarded with their third goal.  The third goal was an excellent example of today's team effort where the ball was worked up the field from the back to Kristen, who, through some very hardwork and skill turned one particular Coquitlam player (you girls know who I am talking about :-) ) inside-out and placed a lovely cross to an attacking Soraya (great anticipation Soraya).   A great team effort today ladies!

“I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.”
Mia Hamm

Messages From Hannah, Erin & Andrew

Some quick messages from a couple of your team members ...

Hannah (with some editting by Brad)

Well I have good news and bad news.
First Bad news, I saw my surgeon yesterday, it has taken this long for the swelling to go down enough for him to do a complete exam. I am booked for surgery in April. Although this time it is orthroscopic surgery for the meniscus so not nearly as serious as last time but enough to keep me out of competitive soccer until next September. I am back to physio once a week and doing my exercising to keep the rest of me in shape.
The good news is that it might be possible to come back again and that this is not the end of soccer.
I WANT TO PLAY ! ! I LOVE TO PLAY ! I WILL PLAY AGAIN ! ! SOON !

I will attend as many games as I can. I support my team and teammates 100%   I wish everyone happiness and success at everything you do !   I want, I want, I want...... I want to see my teammates go all the way!
I love playing and telling ( bragging ) to others that I play for LOWER ISLAND SOCCER. 
This is not a "good by" it is meant as a thank-you - see ya latter..

I must concentrate on me for now, 2 months to prep, 2 months rehab, start training June increasing intensity until September and Kicking A## with Lower Island next season.
GO GIRLS GO !

Erin

I am OK girls ... just a bad sprain and some torn/stretched ligaments.  I hope to be back playing within the month.







Andrew

Hello everyone,
In order to fit the SYL evaluations in before the end of March we will be using the metro training slots for the first week of March, so there will be no metro training from March 1-4th. This allows you two full weeks through spring break to prepare your teams for their first round games on the weekend of March 20/21. The DDC program will also be concluded 1 week early and will wrap up on Feb 18 and 19.
We will be scheduling two SYL evaluations and adding a third at a later date if the need arises and as space open up.   We will be announcing the SYL evaluation dates later this week.

Best regards
Andrew Latham Head Coach
Lower Island Soccer Association (LISA)
office 250 382 7489  cell 250 888 5712

Caps Take Second Game From Semiahmoo

We knew our second meeting vs Semiahmoo would be a tough fight.  They are a strong team; are starting their conditioning/climb trying to peak for up-coming cup play and they wanted to prove something to us after their last game back in September - where we outplayed them and quite handidly beat them 2-0.

For our readers, Semiahmoo are the 3-time reigning Provincial Champs and placed second (silver medal) in last years National Championships.

My very brief overview of the game....
- The Game Plan ... Semiahmoo is a strong passing / possession team and playing them on the grass would help slow down that aspect of the game.  Also by playing our team system and supporting each other this created problem for Semiahmoo to penetrate our back midfield and defence
- The Game Review/Results ... our approach evidently gave Semiahmoo some problems from the start - in the first 15 minutes of the game Semiahmoo could not pentrate the Caps denfensive 1/3 of the field and any shots were from a long way out. Semiahmoo were stifled by our play (and the grass) for the first 10-15 minutes i.e. we kept them pinned in their end by high pressure centrally and wide
- Once they figured out their game was not working they moved to a “kick run” type game … not very effectively
- Very physical game today, some thunderous collisions.
- Really the girls were not pushed to play better, Semiahmoo was playing physical but their possession was wasted with long balls to nowhere.
- The PK and red card helped us but the game results woudl have been a win or a tie for us no matter what ... as we did have a couple of good opportunities.

Girls, we did what we had to do to take the 3 point from Semiahmoo.  As we discussed at training, some games we coach/play to win and other games we coach/play to learn.  This was a game we wanted to win and the coaching staff made some decisions to ensure that (i.e. grass, player placement, playing time, etc.).

Great job ladies! Your team work and team spirit will carry you forward!

TEAM = Together Everyone Achieves More