The eight-week mini-season that served as a pilot is now over, and those behind the new EA Sports BC Soccer Premier League (BCSPL) seem satisfied with the first step taken by the elite teams fielded by the eight member clubs.
The league, which includes Surrey United among its membership, played games across the province from mid-September to mid-November, with male and female teams in the under-13 through under-17 age groups.
“The pilot mini-season has proved to be invaluable to the league and its constituent clubs in terms of preparation for the start of the inaugural season in late February,” said David Haber, interim president of the BCSPL’s Board of Governors. “We are currently evaluating feedback from both an administrative and technical perspective so as to ensure that any appropriate amendments to our rules, regulations and league operating procedures are made.”
United’s boys teams had a successful eight weeks of BCSPL play, placing first in the under-13, under-15, and under-16 groups, while the club’s girls teams earned a first place finish in the under-14 group, and tied for first in under-15.
The first full season of play will begin in late February of 2012, with Surrey United, Coquitlam Metro Ford, Fusion FC (Vancouver/Richmond), Magnuson Ford Mariners (Abbotsford), Mountain United (Burnaby/North Shore), South Fraser (South Surrey/Delta), Vancouver Island Wave and Thompson/ Okanagan FC (Kelowna/Kamloops).