Sooke Celtic FC capped off the season with a promotion that’s been on the team’s radar for a long time.
A 1-1 draw with Mid-Isle Mariners in the last game of the regular season on Sunday (March 24) secured a second-place finish, which is just what the team needed to move up to Vancouver Island Soccer Association Division 1 play starting next season.
“That was always the main goal since the start of the season,” stressed assistant coach Pete McKay. “It’s been over a decade since Sooke had a Division 1 team, and the coaches and players have been focused on achieving that for a few years now.”
The amount of work the players put in during the off-season underscores their detmination to move up to the top notch in dvision play.
“We’ve got a tight-knit group of guys who were totally committed all year long,” McKay noted. “They’re constantly striving to improve.”
Although Sooke Celtic came up short in its recent quest for the Jackson Cup this year, McKay said valuable lessons were learned, especially during their loss to Vic West in the semi-final.
“They’re a pretty strong squad, probably the best team on the Island right now,” he said. “It gave us a pretty good example of the level of competition we’re going to face in Division 1 play next season.”
McKay was eager to share news that Sooke Soccer’s Division 5 men’s team earned a promotion to Division 4 after finishing the season in first place.
“That’s our development team and where we look when we need to call up players,” he said. “We’re always looking for new players, so their success bodes well for the future of both teams.”
Anyone who wants more information on tryouts which begin in July can check out Sooke Celtic on Instagram.
