Local players at soccer event

STELLARTON – The new Highland Region Tier 1 (AAA) soccer club, Highland XFC, selected a female team to attend the 2012 invitational university/college showcase tournament in Bridgewater last weekend.
College and university coaches from across the Maritimes attended the event, scouting for soccer talent, as well as senior coaching staff from Soccer Nova Scotia.
XFC covers the Antigonish, Pictou, Colchester and Cumberland Counties and draws elite players from supporting Tier 2 clubs from the under-13 age group and up.
“It’s a great opportunity for these talented girls, even getting to this tournament is a credit to the player focused development pathway they have followed,” coach mark Brennan said. “Soccer is a huge game in our region and a tournament like this can open many doors for the serious athlete who is striving to play at the university level or above.”
It’s important for young soccer players to be involved at an early age with Tier 2 clubs in U-8 and U-10 in their area to reach the top of their game, Brennan said.
“Without technical development at this age it’s very difficult to catch up,” he said. “We look forward to providing the same opportunity in the years to come for both male and female players in the Highland Region.”
XFC, which is affiliated with St. Francis Xavier University and the Tier 2 clubs in the region, runs player focused development programs that strive to give players the ability to compete at the elite level. XFC plays its league games in the Nova Scotia Soccer League against the top regional clubs in the province.
Those interested can visit www.xfcsoccer.org for more information.