It takes the eyes of outsiders sometimes to see what you take for granted.
The newest, and uniquely freshest, team in the Vancouver Island Soccer League captured the 104th Jackson Cup championship on Sunday as Westcastle United defeated Bays United 3-1 at Royal Athletic Park.
Westcastle is an academy team that attracts top young talent from on- and off-Island and is unlike anything the VISL has seen in recent years. That was attested to by 16-year-old Nigerian-born, Calgary-raised Goteh Ntignee being named the youngest Jackson Cup finals MVP in history.
The amateur soccer landscape has changed dramatically since the days when the VISL routinely produced pro and Canada-capped players. The league’s extraordinary contribution to Canada’s team to the 1986 World Cup is recognized in a special section on the VISL commemoration board inside Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. But amateur circuits like this across the country have now generally become for players on the back end of their careers after having played varsity in U Sports and Canadian colleges or at other higher levels.
Now, along comes Westcastle United, founded by soccer activist and team owner Steve Hodges on the West Shore in 2009-10, to shake things up in the more-than-a-century-old Jackson Cup with the club’s first championship — and one fuelled by up-and-comers.
Westcastle began as a VISL Masters team before moving into senior men’s in Division 4 and working its way up to Division 1 before being relegated and moving up again. The decision to associate Westcastle with Thomas Niendorf’s Pacific Elite Soccer Institute two years ago has changed the face of the VISL.
Niendorf, the Westcastle United head coach by way of Berlin and Calgary, sees a young group talented enough to crack his USL-2 Victoria Highlanders this summer, some eventually good enough to play pro in the new Canadian Premier League, and perhaps an elite one or two who can “step into Europe.”
Niendorf’s extensive connections have paved the way for Canadians such as Owen Hargreaves to play professionally in Germany. He will take eight of his Westcastle players to pro trials in Germany this spring to “be exposed to the European market.”
Niendorf said the Island is a great jumping off point and the 104-year history of the Jackson Cup proves it. It takes someone relatively new to the scene to see it.
“There is such a good culture of the game in Victoria,” he said.
“There is every level available for every level of player — the VISL, developmental USL-2 [Highlanders] and professional CPL [Pacific FC].”
Niendorf said the VISL has been good for his youthful group because you can’t otherwise replicate the experience of going shoulder to shoulder with a veteran player 10 years older and 30 pounds heavier.
“We took on all challenges as they came step by step and worked hard to win the Jackson Cup,” said MVP Ntignee, who made it 2-0 at 55 minutes and celebrated the goal with a full body flip.
“Thomas [Niendorf] told us to show character and step up and show what we can do,” added Ntignee, who said his career goal is to play pro soccer.
Opening the scoring was Westcastle United captain Josh Walter at 35 minutes.
“We won because we are a family that is united and together,” said the 19-year-old from Calgary.
Cagey veteran Paddy Nelson, the VISL Golden Boot winner as league goals champion, brought Bays United to 2-1 at 56 minutes. But 19-year-old former Whitecaps Residency player Simon Stacey of Cobble Hill scored the insurance goal for Westcastle, with a powerful shot at 85 minutes, as the Bays will have to be content with the lone Jackson Cup championship the club won in 2013.
The Jackson Cup finalists, Westcastle and Bays, will now advance to the men’s ‘A’ Province Cup B.C. championship tournament along with VISL regular-season champion Cowichan FC, third-place Lakehill and fifth-place
Mid-Island Mariners. The Province Cup draw was being held Monday night at the Strathcona Hotel. The Province Cup finals for all divisions will be held May 11-12 at Merle Logan Field in Nanaimo.
The Province Cup becomes the new target for the Jackson Cup champions.
“Our first goal was the VISL [regular-season] championship, and we placed second and I was disappointed for our players. But Cowichan deserved to win the league,” said Niendorf.
“We are happy to win the Jackson Cup. Bays United was experienced and clever in the final. But we played to our strengths and were able to utilize our quickness and speed. As for the Province Cup, we realize the Mainland is very strong.”
Meanwhile, earlier Sunday at Royal Athletic Park, the Cowichan 49ers edged Gorge FC 2-1 in the Tony Grover Masters Cup. The VISL’s championship weekend began Saturday at RAP with Gorge Us Guys shading Hellas 3-2 for the George Pearkes Cup for Divisions 3-4 and the Mid-Island Mariners beating Castaways FC 3-1 in the George Smith Cup U-21 final.
CORNER KICKS: The 2019 Jackson Cup final was officiated by Carly Shaw-MacLaren, the first female referee to do so in its 104-year history.
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