C.C. Riders play winning winter soccer

U-15 A girls and boys teams strike gold

TRURO - There may still be frost on the ground and a chill in the air but that doesn’t mean C.C. Riders soccer is hibernating until the spring.

Three teams have just come off productive winter seasons with two of them – U-15 A girls and U-15 A boys – coming out on top in their respective league play while the U-18 AA girls may have saved their best for last as they pushed the top team in their league to an extended sudden-death penalty kicks finish, before dropping the close playoff contest.

With both the winning U-15 teams, there were players young enough to play U-13, but with not enough players for two teams, they played up an age group and, obviously from the result, did quite well.

“For us, as a small club, it's just basically whoever signs up and we try to create a team from that,” said Rene Despres, who has been involved in the club for about a decade and recently took over as president.

“So our U-15 girls' team had a couple of underage players on there and our U- 15 boys team was half underage, which means half could have played U-13, but we just don't have the bodies for two teams so we created one team for U-15, which was the same as last year.”

Knowing half the team was still eligible to play U-13, the male team started in the B level, but it quickly became evident they were good enough to play at the A level and before Despres even had the chance to ask the league to move them up, it was already done.

With a successful winter schedule behind them, the C.C. Riders Soccer Club looks forward to a new season. Along with Despres being new to his role, there was a whole turnover for the board.

Asked about goals as he takes on the task of club president, Despres said the ultimate one would be creating a club where half of the players graduating had opportunities to play at a higher level such as college or university.

“After they turn 18, they can stay home and play with an adult team, we hope to have, or they can go on and play at the post-secondary level,” he said. “That is, sort of, the real goal.

“Other than that, of course, have some fun and build the program back up. We lost some numbers because of COVID, we'd like to build those back up.”

Lori Thorne, who coaches with the club, said the best way for folks to learn more about the club is to visit its website or Instagram page.

“We've created a new Instagram, which is public, and we've just redone our website which is riderssoccer.ca,” she said.

“Our registration for competitive teams starting at the U-9 skills centre and going up to U-18AA is currently open through our new website,” Thorne added in an email to the Truro News. “Community programs (mini and teen league) will start registration at the end of the month. Lots of info is on our website, new Instagram account and in our FB group CC Riders Soccer Club.

The C.C. Riders play at the Tim Horton’s Community Field, the King Street and Wood Street fields and for some community programs, at the Bible Hill Recreation Park.