By Doug Hare EBS STAFF
Now in their second fall season, the Big Sky Futbol Club fielded five travel teams and four recreation teams, with over 130 youth soccer players donning the club’s blue and white jerseys. In their first fall season, the club had one team and 15 players.
On the weekend of Sept. 21-22, the travel teams headed down to Jackson, Wyoming for the Jackson Hole Fall Classic which draws stiff competition from across the Intermountain West. The U10 girls Big Sky FC squad fought hard all weekend and finished in second-place in their division.
“It was a terrific weekend of soccer by all 11 of our girls. They really came together as a team in the championship as they battled Twin Falls to the very end,” Coach Heather Morris said. “Everyone was focused on making good passes, playing hard-nosed defense and putting quality shots on goal and that resulted in four of the best games this team has played…They are cute and they are mighty.”
The U15 Big Sky FC coed team, playing up an age division, encountered the U18 Big Sky coed team in a game that featured many sibling rivalries. Although the older squad was able to use their superior skills and athleticism to put the game out of reach early on, the U15 team demonstrated tenacity and grit until the final whistle blew.
“The year’s team has shown a tremendous amount of growth from last fall. There has been a noticeable improvement in maturity, decision-making on and off the field, and they are playing more as a team than last year,” U18 Coach Tony Coppola said. “The community support has been great and I believe the program has a great future as a school-sanctioned sport.”
Coppola further noted that his team (6-2-1 on the season) has put up five shutouts this season and looks to win the remaining five games on the schedule. Coppola, a history teacher at Lone Peak High School, thinks that with the continued growth of LPHS and their enrollment teetering on Class B levels, that the high school could field both a varsity girls and boys teams in the near future.
“Our season has been such a success so far! Lots of improvement and tons of fun,” Club Director Anita Romine said. Romine encourages Big Sky locals to come out to cheer on the “littles” for the next three Fridays down at the Big Sky Community Park fields from 4-6 p.m.
