Girls get on the pitch

On Friday afternoon, Bowen Island’s soccer pitch is the domain of six and seven year old girls (and one boy, who they are happy to have join them).
This new, girls soccer league is Rina Freed’s creation.
“I’ve been involved in the North Shore Soccer league where more than 200 girls play together. For the kids, its like a playdate: they look forward to seeing their friends every week. Here on Bowen, girls start playing real games in grade three, but don’t have any training before that. It’s a really tough transition. So I want to give younger Bowen girls a chance to develop some skills.”
Freed coaches the team alongside Merran Smith and Andy Cuba.
For Christina Atkinson’s daughter, Nora Church, this league is her first time playing a team sport.
“She’s usually not much of a joiner,” says Atkinson, “But she’s really into this. I asked her what she likes about it and she said the coaches help her know where she’s going and they are really, really nice. I think she’s into the fact that its non-competitive. It’s like community building, but for six and seven year-olds.”