Local soccer player invited to Whitecaps ID camp
Junior B Elks and general manager Steve Crowell face a tough task
is has been an exciting summer for Makenna Bowser.
May until late August saw Bowser travel to Halifax to be involved in the regional excel program (REX) – a Canadian soccer program administered through Soccer Nova Scotia. e program is
comprised of the highest performance soccer players in the province; three days a week are spent training, two days are spent on strength and conditioning, a sixth day involves game action.
“It was my first year in the program,” Bowser, 14, of Bible Hill, said. “When the program ended I was hoping to hear from Soccer Nova Scotia that I had been selected for the winter program.”
By email, Bowser learned she had made the winter program. But, there was more.
“I was really excited and then when I read the bottom of the email, it said I had been personally selected to attend the Vancouver Whitecaps identification camp. I was speechless, I started to cry.”
Bowser is one of seven Nova Scotians to receive the invite to the high performance identification camp, which will take place in Burnaby, B.C. Nov. 5 to 9.
“I’m feeling pretty anxious and excited,” said Bowser.
“It is going to be great to showcase my talent and what I’ve learned in soccer. I’m certainly grateful to all my coaches who have helped me get this far. is is by far the biggest thing that has happened to me in sports. I’m going to have to work even harder in the future, there are so many tal- ented players and competition out there.”
Playing the past two seasons for the N.S. provincial team, Bowser made two trips to Vancouver.
A Grade 9 student at Bible Hill Junior High, Bowser also played for the Halifax Dunbrack Soccer Club. Her soccer initiation took place in the CC Riders Program in Truro.
e Brook eld Elks goal is to be competitive in the Nova Scotia Hockey League.
Before opening the 2018-19 junior B season last Friday in Cole Harbour, I talked with third-year general manager Steve Crowell. e Dartmouth native, who now resides in Valley, told me up front that the junior B circuit is one tough assignment.
“There needs to be a system where the new players coming into the league are equally distributed,” Crowell, 59, said. “Right now, a lot of the good junior B players choose to play closer to home or closer to their schools with teams like Sackville, Cole Harbour, East Hants and Liverpool.”
Crowell underlined that Liverpool hold their practices in Halifax. He then talked further about the Elks.
“We realize there’s a proud tradition of sports in Brook eld, our goal is to have a winner but we run up against some real problems.”
As an example, the Elks received the rights to three over-agers in a trade with Cole Harbour in August.
“ ese players all chose not to report,” said Crowell. “ at is really hurting us. Up front right now, we have three good forwards; what the team is missing are three more top forwards. We’ve signed some new, young players who I’m excited about, but they need some help, we could use some more experience. It would be nice to nd these kinds of players who would come to Brook eld and be part of it.”
The Elks signed promising young goaltenders Riley Martin and Sebastian Aucoin. On paper, the team has nine returning forwards, including Jagger Stratton, Chad Tucker and Caelan Blaikie. e head coach this season is Marc Bildstein, his assistants are Ernie Mcnea and Jessie Maclean. Joining the Elks as assistant general manager is former Truro junior goaltender Terry Moser. Crowell expressed hope that the Elks could stay within three or four goals of the Cole Harbour Colts in their rst road game. at didn’t happen, as the Colts streamlined to a 14-3 win.
For the Elks to be competitive, Crowell faces a tough task. On his side is an outstanding hockey background – he is the coach and general manager of defending Nova Scotia champion Dartmouth Steele Subaru Major Midgets, he has coached and managed 10 Nova Scotia major midget champions and ve Atlantic champions.
The former coach and GM of the Truro Bearcats, Crowell is the team’s head scout.
e Elks play their home opener at the Sportsplex Tuesday night, Oct. 2, against Strait Pirates, opening faceo is 7.30 p.m.