\u2018Soccer for life\u2019: North Saanich girls\u2019 soccer night flourishing in second summer<\/p>\n
Published 5:45 am Friday, July 31, 2026<\/p>\n
One hour a week is making a big difference for hundreds of girls on the Saanich Peninsula.<\/p>\n
Every Thursday evening since May 28, Blue Heron Park has filled with music, laughter and soccer balls as girls of nearly every age took to the field for Peninsula Soccer Association\u2019s Girls\u2019 Night.<\/p>\n
The free drop-in program wrapped up July 30 after welcoming roughly 200 participants a week during its second summer, a dramatic jump from last year\u2019s pilot that regularly attracted around 30 to 40 girls each week.<\/p>\n
The growth has been exciting for organizers Krista Young and Ellise Guigon, but they say the real success isn\u2019t just measured by attendance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe noticed that the girls needed something extra to bring them to the club,\u201d Guigon said. \u201cWe wanted to build a sense of community and belonging. Girls tend to drop out of sport when they get to middle school and up, and our goal is to stop that from happening.\u201d<\/p>\n
That challenge became the foundation of the program.<\/p>\n
Each session combined warmups and small-sided scrimmages with an atmosphere designed to make the field feel welcoming rather than intimidating. Theme nights, including neon night, twin night, World Cup night, Pride and glitter tattoos, encouraged girls and even parents to dress up, while participants were free to attend whenever their schedules allowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted it to be on their terms,\u201d Guigon said. \u201cThe removal of pressure made it really intriguing to kids and families.\u201d<\/p>\n
The idea has resonated.<\/p>\n
Participation increased sixfold in just one year, and the club also saw girls who weren\u2019t registered with Peninsula Soccer come out simply to give the sport a try.<\/p>\n
Young believes that approach mirrors what many girls remember most about playing sports, including her own from growing up in the sport. <\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t even remember the outcomes of the games,\u201d she said. \u201cI just remember the feeling of being on the team, the inside jokes and dressing up silly for the banquets. It\u2019s a feeling, not the score.\u201d<\/p>\n
That lesson shaped how she coached her daughter\u2019s team this past season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had so many parents saying, \u2018We\u2019ve never been able to get our daughter interested in soccer, and this year she was so excited to come every week, even in the rain,’\u201d Young said. \u201cYou have to get them to want to be there and want to stay there first.\u201d<\/p>\n
Girls\u2019 Night welcomed everyone from two-year-olds taking their first kicks to teenagers, with coaches dividing participants into age groups before scrimmages. Twin night quickly became a favourite, while World Cup night saw families proudly wearing jerseys representing countries from around the globe.<\/p>\n
The program\u2019s popularity has already convinced organizers it will return next summer, but the bigger picture stretches well beyond another season.<\/p>\n
Guigon hopes the initiative creates a pathway where girls continue playing through their teenage years and into adulthood, reversing a trend that has seen female participation decline as players get older.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m here to see people play for life,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s soccer for life for me. It builds friendships, a sense of belonging, helps with mental health, builds leadership skills. There\u2019s so much value in being on a soccer team, and we want to keep that going.\u201d<\/p>\n