Soccer tourney on the way
Second-annual tournament opens Friday, draws teams from across territory
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, November 26, 2015
ACHO DENE KOE/FORT LIARD
A three-day regional tournament is set to draw teams from across the Northwest Territories to Fort Liard.
Fort Liard's James Duntra bounces a soccer ball on his foot. A soccer whiz with years of experience under his belt, Duntra showed his skills outside the recreation centre on Aug. 23. The hamlet's soccer program has exploded in recent years and now involves most of the youth in the community. - April Hudson/NNSL photo
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The community's second annual soccer tournament will begin Nov. 27 and run until Nov. 29.
Recreation co-ordinator Roslyn Firth said team numbers have yet to be finalized but the tournament expects to see at least 10 teams play four-on-four soccer.
Teams will be travelling from Behchoko, Whati and other communities outside the Deh Cho, along with Fort Providence and Fort Simpson.
With the ferry out from Fort Simpson and the ice bridge not yet constructed, Firth said the Mackenzie Recreation Association has been instrumental in providing some travel assistance to soccer players who want to compete.
"We have a lot going on right now in the hamlet. This is our second annual tournament -- we started it last year and it's an indoor four-on-four tournament because our gym is quite small," Firth explained.
"That's the format we came up with to use our space in the best way we could."
Expectations for this year's tournament are building off of last year's success, when 10 teams attended as well.
"That was a fantastic weekend and we're just seeing the same coming up for this weekend," Firth said.
"I'm looking forward to the variety of teams, the number of communities coming in and just seeing how excited our players get to have the other players in town. It's just a huge amount of fun for everybody."
Tournament could be the start of others
Although Fort Liard only hosts one tournament per year, there are rumblings of a possible second tournament next year -- if, Firth says, the community can get an outdoor soccer pitch.
"That will be the first time they've ever had a playing surface outside. It'll be fantastic," Firth said.
The community has been working to develop an outdoor soccer pitch for years now as a joint project between Echo Dene school and the District Education Authority.
Firth said she expects the pitch could be ready as soon as next summer.
"The kids are really pushing for an outdoor soccer tournament too, when that happens," she said.
