CSP hosts district’s biggest soccer event with Unity FC, Rise FC & Whitecaps

Surrey's Unity FC Men's and Women's teams played two exciting exhibition games against the Vancouver Rise FC Academy and Vancouver Unity FC Academy, respectively, for nearly 2,600 Surrey students at Bear Creek Park Stadium earlier this month. The two-day event was organized by the Community-Schools Partnership department as an opportunity for students to see high-level soccer live ahead of this year's FIFA World Cup. (Photos by Jacob Zinn)

FIFA fever has taken over Surrey, and in the leadup to the World Cup, nearly 2,600 students got a sneak preview of high-level soccer, attending two exhibition games featuring three local football clubs. 

Earlier this month, students filled the stands at Bear Creek Park Stadium to see the Unity FC Women take on the Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and the Unity FC Men face the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy. 

Unity FC is Surrey’s professional-amateur soccer club competing in the BC Premier League, with the event presenting a special opportunity for the pro-am teams to compete against two of Canada’s leading professional academies in their own backyard. 

“It’s Surrey’s team, so it’s nice to have that local representation and a team that’s more accessible to our families,” said Jordynn Punter, a facilitator with the district’s Community-Schools Partnership (CSP) department. “Soccer’s the fastest growing sport in the country, particularly in the city right now, and we wanted to provide that fun environment to see high-quality soccer for the kids, both male and female teams, and celebrate that.” 

The idea to put on an a community event for students stemmed from conversations with Unity FC President Kelcey Brade, and what started as a brainstorm to get students involved turned into a collaboration between Surrey Schools, Unity FC and the City of Surrey, culminating in the largest event CSP has hosted to date. 

Students from Bear Creek, Cindrich, Green Timbers, Holly, Old Yale Road and Theresa Clarke elementary schools, as well as Enver Creek and Queen Elizabeth secondary schools, turned out in droves, with CSP sorting logistics to get students safely to and from the stadium while ensuring the event was free of cost. 

“It was a win-win for everyone, and it was a huge win for our students, many of whom hadn’t seen a game,” said Punter. “The kids who showed up were hyped, you could feel the energy – they were just going nuts and I don’t think the teams expected all of that.” 

Select students had the opportunity to walk out of the tunnel with players, and many more got the chance to have real conversations with the athletes, with Punter witnessing how the players inspired the kids. 

“One of my favourite moments was the end of the women’s match,” she said. “A few of the girls from Old Yale Road were talking to the Unity FC players, and it was just huge for these kids to get to have a real conversation with someone they look up to. 

“It was such a community moment and that’s the stuff you strive for.” 

While the Unity FC teams fell 2-3 to the Rise FC women’s team and 2-7 to the Whitecaps FC men’s team, the students still got to see firsthand the ambition, discipline and teamwork of three of the best local soccer teams, with all of the coaches expressing their gratitude to CSP for putting together the inaugural event. 

“I think it’s a testimony of what CSP does,” said CSP assistant manager James Speidel. “Whether it’s a large-scale event like this or the daily programs we have, it showcases how we involve community partners and support students in so many different ways with these opportunities across 40-plus schools in the district.”