Victoria’s Lakehill U-17 girls soccer team heading to nationals for the first time

The Lakehill U-17 girls soccer team has made history by earning a place in Canada Soccer’s National Championships.

This is the first time the Lakehill U-17 girls team have made it to nationals after finishing in second at the BC Provincial Championship games.

Twelve teams across Canada will be participating in the games.

“All the hard work has paid off and it feels amazing,” said Rohan Indulkar, head coach of the team.

“We wanted to go to nationals right from the start and had plans to get to the highest level at the end of the season.”

Indulkar has been coaching at Lakehill for four seasons, but this is his first season coaching the girl’s team.

“When we entered the provincial championships, we were short of a few players due to injuries, but now, all our injured players are back and the team has their strength back,” he said.

U-17 teammates, Alexa Foreman and Layla Salih, are excited and nervous for next month’s nationals.

“It has been cool reaching this level of soccer together because we have been playing together since we were nine,” Salih said.

“We are going to put in our best effort and have a good time,” added Foreman.

Now, on the cusp of graduating high school, both girls are reflective in their journey with soccer and hope to continue the sport at a post secondary level.

“A lot of us are going our separate ways after nationals, so I am excited to play these last few games with the girls I have played my whole life with,” Salih said.

Both players are also aware of the history they are making by getting a spot in nationals.

“I’m excited to play against teams all across Canada because we represent women,” Foreman said.

Having female role models play sports was a huge part of Foreman and Salih continuing their journey with soccer.

“I watched different movies and read books about female soccer players who did great things in their career and it has always pushed me to want to do more soccer and achieve those things too,” Foreman said.

They also both coach girls soccer to show the next generation that there is a place for them in soccer too.

“I’m trying hard to give back to the community of girls and sport because I know how important it is to have someone to look up to who is just like you,” Salih added.

The nationals will take place in Kamloops from Oct. 7 to 13.