GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALTA.
Ecstatic is how Bompas Extreme's coach Leanne Jose describes the team's response to their success at a recent soccer tournament in Alberta.
Bompas Extreme, the U12 girls team from Fort Simpson, celebrate winning their division at Ernie's Rock Around the Clock Indoor Soccer Tournament in Grande Prairie, Alta. The team included, back row from left, Leona Berreault, Shaznay Waugh, co-coach Ollie Williams, Kyra Sanguez, Ocean Stubbert, Akesha Antoine, co-coach Bernie Leader and head coach Leanne Jose, middle row, Ariah Thomas, Tanisha Harris, Alisha Hardisty-Isaiah, Starr Lafferty and Etonda Hardisty-Beaverho, front row, Mary-Anne Muyambo. Missing is Mikala McLeod. - photo courtesy of Lottie Ericson
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The girls U12 team from Bompas Elementary School was among five teams from Fort Simpson to compete in Ernie's Rock Around the Clock Indoor Soccer Tournament in Grande Prairie from May 3 to 5. Bompas Extreme was the only one of the teams to return with medals.
The 10 Fort Simpson athletes, along with two from Fort Liard, went undefeated in their division. In the round-robin, Bompas Extreme won 4-2 against Grande Prairie, 4-2 against Fort Smith and 8-4 against Hay River.
Fort Smith and Fort Simpson faced off again in the final. It was a close game, said Jose. Mary-Anne Muyambo and Mikala McLeod both scored goals allowing Bompas Extreme to win 3-2.
"They ran the whole time, they played hard," Jose said about the team.
Jose also praised the team's goalie Ariah Thomas, who she said was fantastic.
Kyra Sanguez, 10, and Ocean Stubbert, 11, both members of the team, said they were surprised they won all of their games. Sanguez, who played defence, said she was "really happy" about winning the division.
"I think they did good," Sanguez said about her teammates.
Stubbert, who played forward and defence, said McLeod and Leona Berreault, from Fort Liard, became the team's star players.
Bompas also fielded a boys U12 team. The team played very well, said coach Bernie Leader. The 15 boys had a record of one tie and three losses during the tournament.
Thomas Simpson School also sent two teams to Grande Prairie.
Eight Fort Simpson athletes and two from Fort Liard played as the Panthers in the U14 girls division. The Panthers started with a close game against the Hay River Predators, which they lost, followed by a wide margin loss of 17-2 to the Fort St. John Strikers. Despite the imbalance in the score, the girls still worked hard and came off the pitch with smiles on their faces, said Alison Jacobson who coached the team along with Jodie Isaiah.
The Panthers had another close loss to Grande Prairie before securing a 5-0 win against the Fort Smith Huskies.
"That was a huge accomplishment for them," said Jacobson.
"They were really proud of themselves."
Before the game, some of the players were moved from their usual positions. Rebekah Isaiah, who usually plays defence, was made a forward and scored two goals. Meegwun Cazon also scored two goals while Harlena Erasmus got one.
In the U18 girls division, Velocity didn't win any of their games. The other teams had more players and more time to practise, said Jacobson.
"It was a big challenge for them," she said.
A mixed team of athletes from Fort Liard, Fort Smith, Fort Resolution and Fort Simpson also played in the tournament under the name Thunderstruck. The U19 men's team lost all four of their games, but the athletes improved as the tournament progressed, said coach Shane Thompson.
"The boys played well," he said.
Thompson said the team showed a lot of class and sportsmanship in the face of defeat.
The team's last game was their closest. Thunderstruck was tied with Dawson Creek 2-2 until, with five minutes left, the B.C. team scored a final goal, giving them the win.
