The 2006 Girls St. Albert Impact United PDP Soccer Team has secured the gold at the Alberta Indoor Soccer Provincials.
Under the guidance of head coach Alesha Weicker-Pasternak, who also serves as the Manager of Player Development & Pathways for the St. Albert Soccer Association, the team delivered an outstanding performance at the tournament, showcasing the product of a long year of focused training.
Provincials took place in Edmonton, where the Impact United competed against five other teams from across the province. After a round robin stage and a semi-final match against Edmonton Scottish United that ended in a nail-biting penalty shootout, the team triumphed over Calgary West with a 2-0 victory in the gold medal game. Impact United were the only Alberta North division team to earn a medal at the tournament, making their achievement even more significant and highlighting the strong foundation of youth soccer talent in St. Albert.
Weicker-Pasternak spoke highly of the team's performance throughout the year.
"Our team has been together for a number of seasons now, so our team chemistry is quite strong. The players know each other’s tendencies on the field and do a great job of reading off of each other," she said.
In addition to their regular league play, many players also participated in St. Albert Impact adult games, gaining valuable experience and learning how to adapt to different challenges on the field. This unique approach to training has fostered an environment where the players can develop their skills at an accelerated pace.
Allison Gamerdinger, a player on the team, emphasized the importance of team chemistry in their success.
"Our encouraging words and good communication benefit us on and off the field," she said.
Gamerdinger also mentioned the dedication of their coaches and the support of their community as key factors in their achievements.
“This team has always had great coaches who have been very committed to the team by providing us with the skills and knowledge we need to be successful. There’s great support from friends and family at each game cheering us on which motivates us to play hard.”
Weicker-Pasternak praised the efforts of Samantha Bouchard, who finished as the leading scorer of the tournament with four goals in four games, despite being a 2007-born player competing against players a year her senior. According to Weicker-Pasternak, goalkeeping was also a crucial factor for the squad in the group’s overall success. These individual performances highlight the depth of talent present within the St. Albert Impact United team.
The path to gold was far from smooth, as injuries and scheduling conflicts with other athletic activities proved to be a recurring source of adversity for the team.
“We promote our players being multi-sport athletes and allowing them to participate in school sport,” noted Weicker-Pasternak.
“This approach has led to moments where attendance numbers were smaller for practices and increased the risk of physical fatigue placed on our athletes.”
And yet, the group was able to unify their focus and abilities when it mattered most.
"When it came time to come together and commit to one another, they were able to," Weicker-Pasternak said. This ability to unite and persevere through adversity speaks volumes about the character and determination of these young athletes.
This gold medal win is a significant achievement for the team, the St. Albert Soccer Association, and the community.
As Gamerdinger put it, "We put a lot of time and effort into our training, and it means a lot to us as a group that we achieved this medal as our team was the only team to win a gold medal in the north division of the AYSL. I believe this achievement represents the club’s and their coaches’ hard work and devotion to youth soccer in St. Albert."
