One of the players on the U16 girls soccer team that played in the benefit game for cancer research was a player that some members of Yorkton United FC think could be on her way to a good long soccer career.
"Sask Soccer is looking for ways to increase the number of female players in Saskatchewan. I figured the place to start would be with a player who has worked hard for what she has accomplished this year. Her name is Kendra Varjassy," says Thor Berge on behalf of Yorkton United, who has coached Varjassy over the years.
"She started out defending," says Berge following the cancer benefit soccer game which was played at Sacred Heart High School Sunday afternoon and included Varjassy on the U16 team.
"She's moving into midfield," he added.
"She's one exampleyou can see her game evolve."
Varjassy has been enjoying some success this year.
"We only lost one tournament," she told the media following the benefit game on Sunday.
"We had won provincials back-to-back," she said, talking about the outdoor summer season and the indoor winter season.
She said she is ready to start playing for the Sacred Heart team this fall.
TEAM SASK.
Most recently, she was also named to and participated with Team Sask's U14 Girls Provincial Representative Team in the Winnipeg Prairie Invitational Tournament in that city, said Berge.
Making that team involved a lot of hard work on her part.
"Not only was she involved in two practices a week with YUFC, she also attended a Team Sask tryout weekend in Saskatoon in December. Once she was named to the winter training roster, she was then involved with three weekend training sessions, one in February, one in March, and one at the end of April," offers Berge.
Each weekend involved three one and a half hour sessions. After the April session, the team roster was set for the pre tournament preparation sessions in July. Varjassy was named to the injury reserve. As it turned out, she was moved up to the roster due to an injured roster player not being able to heal in time for the tournament. This resulted in her making the trip to Winnipeg and participating in the week long tournament and activities.
Upon departing for Winnipeg, outside communication such as phones and computers was restricted to focus on preparing for the week ahead.
"As Kendra went through the week, she found that the entire program was well structured and organized," he adds.
In Varjassy's own words, "I learned a lot from this experience. We not only learned about the game on the field, but also personal physical maintenance and nutrition required to perform at a higher level. Spending time together with the other Team Sask members made this a positive experience."
THE HEAD COACH
The tournament in Winnipeg involved more than matches. While they played against representative teams from BC, Alberta, and Manitoba, there were also training sessions, one of which involved the Team Sask players meeting the head coach of Canada's U15 National Women's Team.
He had a message for them, says Varjassy.
"He explained what the National Program is looking for in future players, and the amount of work it takes to get to that level.", Kendra explained. " The week wasn't all work, we went to the Assiniboine Zoo, and we also took in the U13 Girls' games when they played."
"I found Playing for Team Sask to be a very positive experience. Combining this with the result Canada's Womens' Team had at the Olympics, I look forward to the Indoor Season with YUFC. Last year we started out as underdogs, but as the year went on, playing on a team where everyone understands the team comes first and stepping up to make that happen made us Provincial Champions." Kendra states. She also appreciates the coaching she's received in her years with YUFC from head coaches Mike Jakubiec, Chad Grodzinski, Andy Wyatt, and Alfredo Bermudez.
"For the upcoming YUFC season, the club team will be looking to players such as Kendra to fill the leadership void left with the graduation of Rita Fetsch and Kristen Jonasson to the U18 age group," notes Berge.
Considering that some of the Club players over the past year were brand new to soccer and the team was a mix of U14 and U16 aged players, Varjassy looks forward to the 2013 season and playing with her Club team mates. With the experience all players gained over the past year, and the hope of having a few more girls join in soccer in all age groups, her team and YUFC have good reason for optimism for female soccer over the next few years.
