One of this year’s Island powerhouses in girls’ high school soccer has it covered from the age spectrums encompassing Grades 10 to 12.
Royal Bay Ravens goalkeeper and captain Emma Sparrow is the lone graduating Grade 12 on the team and committed to play U Sports next season with the UBC Thunderbirds.
Grade 10 player Gaby Gilbert, the daughter of former pro and 12-time Canada-capped Nick Gilbert, continues a family tradition in soccer.
Between them, they have a singular ambition in mind — the Triple-A Island and B.C. championship.
“I believe we have the capabilities to go all the way,” said Sparrow, who will study science at UBC.
Sparrow is also the starting goalkeeper and captain for the elite Island Wave program, despite being five-foot-seven, in a position where height is valued.
“It’s been a lot of training and a lot of footwork,” said Sparrow, of her progress in the sport.
As one of three Grade 10s on the team, Gilbert is taking it all in.
“It’s fun to play on an older team and it’s more of a challenge and learning opportunity,” said the midfielder/striker.
Gilbert has also had expertise at home to help build her career. Of her dad Nick’s 12 caps for Canada, seven were as a starter. Nick Gilbert also coached Gaby and fellow Grade 10 teammate, midfielder-striker Nyah Cruikshank, while the pair were coming through the Juan de Fuca Soccer Association.
“He has taught me so much about the sport,” said Gabby.
“Perhaps the biggest thing is to focus on what you need to work on now and don’t rely on past accomplishments.”
Even though only in high school, these players have already had more than a few, and many of them have been playing together since they were four or five years old. Many are in the Island wave program.
“We have a connection,” said Gaby Gilbert.
“And that makes our passing really good. We know where each other are on the pitch.”
The school and Juan de Fuca and Wave interwoven stories are self evident in how the Royal Bay players operate as a seamless unit.
“They work together so well and have really good technical knowledge of the sport,” said Ravens head coach Angus Stewart.
“Most of them are good enough to go on to play university soccer.”
The Ravens are 2-1 in the young Lower Island high school season following Tuesday’s 1-0 loss at St. Michaels University School against the Blue Jags.
“The league is super competitive,” said Stewart.
The Spectrum Thunder, another Triple-A powerhouse with several players in the Island Wave elite program, are expected to give the Ravens, Blue Jags and others a run this season.
The regular seasons runs up to the Ryan Cup championship tournament for Lower Island girls’ high school soccer supremacy from May 2-9. The Ryan Shield playoffs are April 30 to May 9.
The Island Single-A championship tournament ise May 6-7 at QMS, Island Double-A championship tournament May 13-14 at Stelly’s Secondary and the Island Triple-A championship tournament May 13-14 at Nanaimo District Secondary School
The B.C. championships take place May 30 to June 1 in Kamloops for Single-A, in Burnaby for Double-A and in Cloverdale for Triple-A.
