Senior women’s soccer resurrected
Team returns after three-year absence
A desire by local women to play soccer at a higher level helped resurrect the Peterborough City women’s team.
The Peterborough City Soccer Association didn’t field a senior women’s team for three seasons after the retirement of long-time coach Joe Muldoon following the 2014 campaign.
The team had a lengthy history in the Ontario Women’s Soccer League including regional championships.
John Whiston, who has worked the past two years with the PCSA’s under-21 women’s program, agreed to take on the women’s job this year.
“This is a team that came together as a couple of groups of ladies who played indoor soccer and rec league,” Whiston said.
“There weren’t tryouts per se. We had upwards of 20 who showed interest so anyone who showed interest came onto the team. We’ve had a few people drop off that list. Moving forwards, as years go on, we’ll look to have tryouts.”
Following a 2-1 road win over East Gwillimbury on Monday night, the team has two wins, two ties and three losses in the OWSL Central Region East Division. Their last home game was a 2-1 defeat to Whitby Iroquois on Sunday at Eastgate Memorial Park.
Scoring against East Gwillimbury were Lilly Gamble and Lisa McFadden while Chantel Grant tallied against Whitby.
“We’re doing extremely well and have been in every game,” Whiston said.
“We’re still getting used to some formations and to each other but as time goes along they’re getting a better feel for what’s out there and what they need to do.
“Every lady who is playing is capable of playing in a competitive league and deserves to be on the team even though we didn’t have tryouts. Every one of them can hold their own on the field and no one is out of place.”
Jennifer Dunham is the only holdover from the 2014 side.
“I prefer to play competitive soccer and it’s nice to have that back,” Dunham said.
She said some of the women have played together before in recreational leagues which helped to build chemistry.
“You can see those players who have played together before because they know how the other person is going to play. But, I think we’ve been doing pretty good considering it’s the first year. We’re competitive with these other teams who have been playing together for a couple of years,” Dunham said.
Now that the team is back Whiston says other women have expressed interest. City also has two U21 women’s teams this year so there is optimism within the club that a women’s team is sustainable for the foreseeable future.
“The future is good in that sense because there are two U21 teams,” he said.
“We’ll try to continue to have that U21 group so those women who graduate can graduate into the senior ladies team.”
“I don’t think when the team dissolved it was a lack of interest from the women,” Dunham said.
“It was just that the coach was done and there was no one to replace him. I think if they’d kept it going there would have been enough interest.”
City’s next home game is at 5 p.m. July 8 against the Oshawa Kicks at Eastgate.