westsidesoccer.com :: Westside Football Club

Welcome Four New Club Directors
Many thanks to outgoing Director Dan May and welcome to Craig Robinson, Sarah Chapman, Laura Barnes and Brian Deo elected at the recent AGM.

Happy New Year! Have A Carlsberg
Check out this PDF listing Carlsberg Canada's family of import beers and all their current specials!

Devils For Kelli Three Year Total Fundraising For Cancer Research Edges To $60,000.00
Devils For Kelli continue to amaze! This fall they raised almost $30,000, bringing their three year total to almost $60,000! Devils For Kelli and their inspiring story were featured several times this fall on CTV.

Tuesday, Oct 21, 2008

Westside Football Club Celebrates Its Most Charitable Youth Jamboree Ever!
The 14th Annual Westside Football Club Charity Youth Soccer Jamboree this past October 11th raised more money for charity and food for the Vancouver Food Bank than ever before as 400 boys and girls from age 8 to 10 participated in a fun day of soccer and skills clinics. The 100% volunteer operated event donates all proceeds to the Kids Help Phone and the Westside Football Club Scholarship Trust.

Many thanks to our perennial premium event sponsor, TSS Academy, and to the Segal Family for a special gift!

Many thanks to the Kids Help Phone's generous network of supporters - Safeway, Starbucks, Saputo / Dairyland, Neptune Foods, English Bay Cookie Co, Boston Pizza, and others!

Thanksgiving Saturday this year was a beautiful sunny day for the 30 young teams assembled at Douglas Park. The tournament went off without a hitch, the concession was humming and the generous teams filled a mini van for the Vancouver Food Bank. The tournament raised new record profits, just shy of $5,000, three quarters of which has gone to Kids Help Phone. The remaining quarter has gone into the Westside Football Club Scholarship Trust to generate income to fund the annual Mike Pettingale Memorial Scholarship Award for grade 12 soccer players heading on to post secondary studies.

Westside Football Club Lands Carlsberg As Club-wide Sponsor!

It is Westside Football Club's pleasure to announce a new sponsorship deal with the 161 year old soccer-focused global beer brand Carlsberg of Denmark - the 4th largest brewery in the world and sponsor of teams like world renowned Liverpool FC, FC Copenhagen, Toronto FC, Montreal Impact and the National Teams of England, Ireland and Switzerland. Carlsberg also sponsors major soccer championships such as Euro 2008, the UEFA Cup and the English FA Cup. Carlsberg Canada is a premium provider of Import beer from their countries of origin such as Denmark, France, the UK and Russia with products such as Carlsberg, Tuborg, Kronenbourg, Tetley's and Baltika.

Westside (Belatedly) Welcomes Home Two Of Its Own From Beijing

Westside Football Club joins the many Canadians who are so proud of our womens senior national soccer team who continue to compete at the very highest levels internationally. And we are especially proud of one of our premier womens team's leaders Clare Rustad who was such a stalwart through both Olympic qualifying and the entire tournament in Beijing, ... as well as (still playing) womens side co-founding club member Maeve Glass who manages the womens senior national team. Here they are outside the Birds Nest stadium.

Clare and Maeve in Beijing

Westside Football Club Youth Charity Jamboree Set for Oct 11th

We are taking registrations for our 14th Annual Charity Youth Soccer Jamboree and at time of posting have spots left in all groups BU9, BU10, BU11, GU9, GU10, GU11. Download the invitation and registration form here. Contact Doug Johnston for more information.

Westside Football Club Sponsors BU18 Vancouver Selects Quest for National Championship!

Westside FC wishes the Provincial A Cup Champion Boys U18 Vancouver Selects - including "second generation Westsider" Thomas Mallette - all the best in their quest for the biggest of all national youth championships, this Thanksgiving in the Toronto area. Westside FC is proud to join the BCSA, VYSA, ICSF and others in helping to fund their journey. The quest represents a culmination of five years of team building starting in U14 over which time they won the Selects league title four times.

Three-peat In Sight!

On Sunday, October 5, 2008, unite with all Canadians in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure. Be part of the largest single-day volunteer-led fundraising event dedicated to creating a future without breast cancer.

"Devils for Kelli" are raising funds as part of their third CIBC Run for the Cure campaign. The team has now exceeded a three year total of $40,000.00 and marching.

Check out how the team is doing here.

Click here to donate to Devils for Kelli.

Pre-Season Kicking Off

Westside FC is pleased to announce that Jason Small will be coaching the mens premier team this season. The premier mens preseason evaluation sessions start Thursday August 14th at Prince of Wales south field 6:30 pm and continue Tuesday August 19th at South Memorial north west field.

For more information on tryouts and preseason schedules for all of Westside FC teams go here or email info@westsidesoccer.com

Westside Football Club Scholarship Trust Grows

Westside FC is thankful to Ruth Pettingale for making another generous contribution to the Scholarship Trust as Westside builds toward its goal of reaching a funding level to support a pair of awards every year. Application forms for 2009 are posted here.

Another Blazing Hot 7-A-Side Tournament!

There was another great turnout and yet another day of beautiful weather for this years co-ed all-ages event on July 12th!

Premier 7-a-side Event Sponsor: Admiral

Silver 7-a-side Event Sponsor: Russell Brewing Co

2008 Champions:
Dan Crouch	Rob Merkl	Diana Padres
Yumi Hayashi (2007 Female MVP)	Tony Nannar	James Prescott
Bob Heseltine	Megan Nichol	Graham Price
Arlie Krauchek	John Nickel	Andrea Thurber

2008 MVPs:

Womens - Andrea Thurber (GK) Mens - George Martin Best

Here are some of the highlights from the 30th Annual Westside FC Awards Banquet held May 31st at Heritage Hall.

Thanks to Doolins and all our sponsors!

2007-2008 Westside League Successes

VMSL U-21 Division League Champions: Westside Rino U-21
VMSL Division 1CAT A League Champions: Westside Rangers B
(undefeated season)
VMSL Masters Division 2 League Champions: Westside O-Men B
League Title Runners Up
Westside FC Shooters, MWSL Classics Gold
Westside FC Rino A, VMSL Division 1A
Westside Rangers U-21, VMSL U-21 Division
Westside FC Rino B, VMSL Division 2CAT A

2007-2008 Westside Cup Successes

Senior Womens Provincial A Cup Silver Medalists: Westside FC Premier
VMSL Masters A Cup Champions: Westside FC O-Men A
VMSL Division One League Cup Champions: Westside FC Rino A
VMSL U21 League Cup Champions: Westside FC Rangers U-21
League Cup Finalists:
Westside FC Shooters, MWSL Classics Gold League Cup
Westside FC Rino U-21, VMSL U-21 League Cup

2007-2008 Club Wide Awards

The Vince Alvano Award
Established in 2003, on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of Westside Football Club in honour of founder Vince Alvano and awarded annually to the coach or player whose drive to win and ability to motivate is an example to the rest of the club.

2008 Nominees:

John Catliff Katey Grist Keith Moore

Don Cooke Doug Johnston Leah Wong-Moon

Leah Wong-Moon

The Bob Baldwin Award
Established in 2003, on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of Westside Football Club in honour of founder Bob Baldwin and awarded annually to the player who embodies the spirit of Westside, leading their team by example on the field and off.

2008 Nominees:

Miguel Alvarado Geoff Catliff Heather Kisbee

Renne Brown Jason Clemens Jared McGowan

Geoff Catliff

The Jay Skelding Award
Established in 1990, in memory of stalwart Westsider Jay Skelding and awarded annually to the most inspirational and dedicated Westside member (coach, player, manager or sponsor).

Peter Coles

Peter Coles is one of the South Nepean Eight and co-founder of the Westside FC Rangers. For the last 12 years he has built up the Rangers to a squad of four and in the process has kept the club in the premiership. Along the way he has been a tireless, year-round squad manager, event promoter / manager and tour organizer, not to mention stalwart between the pipes or up front when the occasion demanded.

The Mike Pettingale Memorial Scholarship Award
Established in 2007, in memory of stalwart Westside Football Club supporter Mike Pettingale and awarded annually to a graduating grade 12 soccer player enrolled in a full time university or college program who has made a significant contribution to sport in their community by way of playing, coaching, managing and/or supporting.

Michael Branion-Calles

Michael is fantastic inaugural winner. His impressive sports accomplishments include being called up on a youth permit to play in the VMSL premier and 1CAT divisions, playing with the Whitecaps Prospects and being named Athlete of the Year at his high school. Michael is an honour roll student with a strong record of community service.

The Marcus Dressel "Keeper" of the Year Award
Established in 2007, in honour of Westside Football Club builder and keeper Marcus Dressel and awarded annually to the member, family or friend who best captures the spirit of Westside in still photography.

Marcus Dressel (posthumously)

The Marcus Dressel Legacy
Ask not what the club did for Marcus, ask what Marcus did for the club. From lining fields, being the CAT system utility keeper, photographing games and events, tracking teams' stats, building and running the club website, to doing the sound and audio/visual at events, Marcus was all over the shop! Westside will now commemorate him for his prolific soccer photography at the awards banquet through a new "keeper" of the year award.

The amazing flying Marcus ...

Inaugural Mike Pettingale Memorial Scholarship Award Announced!

Westside Football Club announced the details of its inaugural Mike Pettingale Memorial Scholarship which honours stalwart Westside supporter Mike Pettingale and is awarded annually to a graduating grade 12 soccer player enrolled in a full time university or college program who has made a significant contribution to sport in their community. For all the details on the $500 scholarship and the application form and guidelines, visit the Mike Pettingale Memorial Scholarship page. The deadline for this year's award is May 15, 2008.

Westside FC Originals Take the Masters A League Cup
Congratulations to the Westside FC O-Men A for a strong league cup run which this year required a preliminary round match vs. a good Div 1 side and then knocking off four strong premier opponents in a row. The boys haven't hoisted the masters league cup since 2002! In the Classics Gold League Cup Final, Westside FC Shooters fell 0 - 1 to the Meralomas A.

Westside FC Rangers U21 and Westside FC Rino A Take The League Cup
Congratulations to both Westside FC Rangers U21 and Westside FC Rino A for their
recent League Cup victories.

Westside FC Rangers U21 won the U21 League Cup in an extremely tight contest over their rival Westside FC Rino U21 squad that had to be settled on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes of action.

Likewise, Westside FC Rino A's match with Binger's Army in the Division 1 Cup Final was a tightly contested affair, with Rino's goalkeeper Tyler Wilman pulling off a spectacular save on a penalty kick awarded to Binger's in injury time with the score tied 1-1. Those heroics lifted Rino's boys, who dominated the extra periods and came out victorious 3-1 on the strength of goals by Hakan Isler and Mike Batke.

Two more Westside teams will have a chance at cup glory this weekend as the Westside FC O-Men A and Westside FC Shooters are in action. Here are the details:

Sunday March 30, 2008

VMSL Masters A Cup Final
Westside FC A vs. ICSF Inter
Coq. Town Centre Stadium - 1:00pm MWSL Classics Gold Cup Final
Westside FC Shooters vs. Meralomas A
S. Surrey Athletic Park - 1:30pm

5 Westside Teams Advance To League Cup Finals
Silver could be the in colour this spring as five Westside teams are set to compete in League Cup Finals in the coming weeks. Things kick off this Saturday with a double-header at Point Grey Turf. First, an all-Westside (Rino vs. Rangers) U21 Final is being played at 4pm. Immediately following that game, the Div 1 Cup Final will take place at 6pm between Westside Rino A and Binger's Army. Also looking to bring home some silverware are Westside O-Men A who will meet ICSF Inter in the Masters A Cup Final and Westside Shooters who take on Meralomas A in the Classics Gold Cup Final on March 30 at South Surrey Athletic Park. Finally, the Westside FC Premier Women's team continue their quest for the cup with a semi-final matchup against Surrey United this Sunday morning at Cloverdale Athletic Park. Good luck to everyone!

Westside Teams Finish 1-2 In Under 21 Division
The Westside Football Club has had an outstanding showing this season from its two entries in the VMSL U21 Division with Westside FC Rino U21 finishing in top spot, followed closely by Westside FC Rangers U21. The deciding game was played two weekends ago at Point Grey Turf, where the division leading Rino squad needed only a tie to clinch the championship. Rino's boys did one better, as they came back from an early 1-0 deficit to double up 2-1 over their club rivals. Westside FC Rangers U21 closed out their regular season this past weekend with a convincing 4-2 win over Meraloma SC. Congratulations to both teams for their achievements thus far, and we look forward to more success from both teams in the upcoming league and provincial cups.

Distinguished Westside Member Passes Away
Marcus Dressel, a long time member of Westside, has passed away after bravely battling cancer for the last 7 months. He was a great competitor on the field, a dedicated supporter for all teams within the club, and an inspiration to us all. Literally thousands of pictures and countless hours developing and maintaining the website were just a part of his contribution to the club. Marcus will be missed and always remembered as a proud happy father, loving husband, and wonderful teammate. A memorial service is being held for Marcus at 1pm on Nov. 17 at Oakridge Lutheran Church (585 West 41st Avenue).

13th Annual Westside Football Club Charity Youth Soccer Jamboree
Westside Football Club's flagship youth development event is our annual charity youth tournament which has been going since 1995. Every Thanksgiving, up to 400 boys and girls from age 8 to 10 participate in a fun day of soccer and skills clinics. The event is 100% volunteer operated and all proceeds are donated to charity with the lions share directed toward the Kids Help Phone.

"Devils for Kelli" Take New Balance Award at the Run for the Cure for Second Year in a Row!

Westside FC Red Devils and their extended fundraising team "Devils for Kelli" have done it again!

Generating $25,000.00 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation over the last two year's CIBC Run for the Cure is simply stupendous! Winning the New Balance Award for most funds raised by a womens team at the country's second largest run site two years in a row is pleasant confirmation of a job very well done.

Many thanks are due the extended Westside FC "family" for their continued generosity to such an important cause.

To top it off, the team's biggest single fundraiser the last two years, working her magic this time from a four month European "walkabout" on a clean bill of health, snuck home on the day of the event to surprise her team in person for the walk! Welcome home, Kelli!

Nicole the adventurer, Westside FC Storm and friends ... carpe diem ...