Women鈥檚 soccer was present for the first time at the 55+BC Games in Vernon in September.

Zone 2 North Island sent a team heavily represented by the Comox Valley and the ladies brought home a bronze medal. Most of these women were pioneers for girl鈥檚 and women鈥檚 soccer in the 70s and 80s across B.C. in a sport supported predominantly for boys and men. Others started playing in their 30s and 40s. And now with the debut for women鈥檚 soccer at the 55+ Games, history repeats itself with the inaugural year for senior women.

Many ladies on the Zone 2 team 鈥業sland Girls鈥� have been NCCP coaches, MIWSL players, FIFA officials, and of course soccer moms and members of the Comox Valley United Soccer Club.

鈥淭his is just the beginning for women鈥檚 soccer at the Games; we鈥檙e hoping for more ladies to come out and play next year in Cranbrook,鈥� says Jill Nelson, team captain and Zone 2 women鈥檚 soccer rep. 鈥淭he ladies would like to thank Paul Kingan Zone 2 director, and all Games directors and rules committees for the support, hard work and welcoming women鈥檚 soccer.鈥�

The next road trip for these ladies is Nov. 9 in Vancouver to cheer on the Canadian women鈥檚 soccer team that takes on the U.S.