WolfPack take to the pitch
“Looking forward to getting started” is how Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men’s soccer co-head coach Sean Wallace is describing this weekend.
The WolfPack begin the 2011 B.C. College Athletic Association regular season with matches on the road in Surrey on Saturday, Sept. 10, against the Kwantlen Polytechnic Eagles and on Sunday, Sept. 11, in New Westminster against the Douglas College Royals.
“After three weeks of training and exhibition matches, we are ready to go,” Wallace said.
“They have worked hard and are looking for some positive results, hopefully starting this weekend.”
The WolfPack are looking to improve upon their second-place standing in the BCCAA Group A.
In 2010, they had a record of 7-1-3, which put TRU eight points behind division winners Douglas.
Wallace is expecting the Royals to be very strong again this year.
“Douglas is the odds-on favourite again to win the whole league. They have recruited aggressively again this year and have brought in an old vet like all-Canadian Jag Gill and a new recruit in Bobby Jhutty of the Vancouver Whitecap residency program,” Wallace said.
“They will definitely be the team to beat this year and the first weekend will be a good test to see how we match up against them early.”
In Kwantlen, the WolfPack are facing a team that went winless in 2010.
“Kwantlen will probably be a young team again this year,” Wallace said.
“I have heard that an ex-SFU Clan player will be playing with them and they should attract some better quality players this year. They will be tough and not a team to take lightly.”
The WolfPack are coming off a pre-season in which they played tougher opponents (CIS and NCAA Division II squads), dropping all four matches.
Wallace and his coaching staff are confident their roster is solid, especially down the middle, and starting the year away from Hillside Stadium won’t be a problem.
“It is always nice to start on the road as it gives the team time to bond away from home and focus on the task at hand, which is getting points from these two matches.”
The WolfPack have their BCCAA home opener on Saturday, Sept. 17 when they host the University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat at 1 p.m. at Hillside Stadium.
THROW INS — The WolfPack have two new assistant coaches in Wayne Girodat and James Byra. Byra is a former WolfPack captain and CCAA All-Canadian. Girodat has coached minor and high school soccer.
— TRU Sports Information
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