Surrey-based BC Tigers are set to rep B.C. at the U17 boys Toyota National Championships in Sydney, Nova Scotia, starting Wednesday, Oct. 9.
The team boarded a Saturday-night flight out of Vancouver to play in the Canada Soccer-sanctioned club tournament, results of which are posted on canadasoccer.com.
Closer to home this week, the women's Jubilee Trophy national championship tournament will involve Surrey United's team in action at Newton Athletic Park starting Wednesday. The Surrey park will also host the men's Challenge Trophy tournament.
In Nova Scotia, the travelling Tigers contingent includes players, coaches, staff and parents. "Every player has a minimum of two or three family members as well, so the total is around 80 or 85 people going," said Swarnjit Grewal, team manager.
In August, the team launched an online fundraiser with a goal of raising $30,000 for travel expenses. "The fundraising went very well, close to $23,000 now, and some people and businesses helped us a lot," Grewal reported.
Coached by Patrick Adamczewski, BC Tigers players who made the trip are Angad Gill, Gursehaj Sandhu, Humaid Abbasi, Sahej Hayer, Joshua Masilya (captain), Andrew Sarkodie, Justin Mann, Jagjot Bathal, Alejandro Carrilo, Navjot Gill, Shivnesh Pillay, Pritish Bagga, Jaiten Grewal, Aman Nagra, Alessandro Campanile, Verdhaan Sidhu, Armaan Cheema, Bhavanveer Sekhon, Arman Benipal and Aryan Naidu.
At the six-team Jubilee tourney in Newton, Surrey United's first game is 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10 (Pacific time) against Holy Cross FC (St. John's) followed by another 3 p.m. game Friday against Scarborough GS United. The women's tournament final game is Monday, Oct. 14, starting at 1 p.m.
