Dear Editor:
I am writing about the West Vancouver Rangers U18 girls Metro soccer team, a group that deserves recognition for the incredible record they achieved despite missing competitions because of COVID.
This team started in 2017 and had an incredibly successful six years before they graduated in July of 2023. They achieved the following successes, which are quite remarkable:
2017–2018: Divisional champions, Coastal Cup gold medalist, Provincial Cup silver medalist.
2018-2019: League champions, Coastal Cup silver medalist, Provincial Cup gold medalist.
2019-2020: League champions.
Then COVID struck curtailing most activities.
2021-2022: League champions, Coastal Cup gold medalist, Provincial Cup gold medalist.
2022-2023: League champions, Coastal Cup gold medalist.
More than 30 young women were fortunate to play on this team at one time or another. Five were original team members and played the whole six years.
The coaches and training staff were instrumental in their success, which included creating the team spirit, camaraderie, enjoyment and friendships created and blending in new players. Jonathan Fisher and Dave Hargreaves were the original head coaches, with Laura Hargreaves as an assistant coach. Latterly Ravi Fisher took over from Dave and Laura. Carla Young was manager.
This team has excelled consistently with an ever-changing group of players, as is the norm with teams of this age. They deserve to receive the recognition for being one of the most outstanding North Shore Metro girls teams of all time.
Peter Manley
West Vancouver
