The U16 Girls Canada Games team played an exhibition game versus a Whitehorse men’s team at the Canada Games Centre Thursday.

While the U16 team failed to score, it was an entertaining, competitive affair. The Whitehorse men led 2-0 at the half.

Following the game, Samantha Samuelson, an apprentice coach with the team, explained the makeup of the squad.

“This is a few girls who are trying out for the Canada Summer Games team in Niagara this summer. It’s not all of them. There’s not actually a team made yet.

“It was just a fun game that I organized last-minute because we’ve been wanting to play the men for a while and found some gym time that was free, so we decided to try it out,” she added.

Neil Sedgwick is the Head Coach for the U16 team.

“The assistant coach is Carli Tingstad,” related Samuelson.

“Eric (Porter) and I are apprentice coaches. So through the Canadian Association for Coaches there were positions to be apprentice and learn from more experienced coaches, obviously, at a major event. So Eric’s position I think is Aboriginal Sports apprentice and mine is a Women in Coaching apprenticeship.”

Samuelson said the purpose of the game was “fun.”

“We have played at times against the younger boys and they obviously go at a different speed and have a different knowledge level than the men, so it’s just to get a different opponent and to see how things are going ... but mostly fun.”

As for what she thought of the game, “I think it was good. As a coach, it’s always good to see games, because you learn lots and you can see where you’re at and what’s going on.

“The girls really liked it. They had a lot of fun, which they don’t always have when they play the younger boys, so I think that was good.”

When asked if this game was more at their level, Samuelson replied, “I don’t know if it’s more at their level, but it’s useful because we are obviously going to play some strong competition at Canada Games. It’s girls that are fast and really skilled and smart soccer players ... these guys aren’t probably as fast as the people we play but they’re skilled and smart, so that part helps to adjust some things and try some things out.”

Next up is a trip to Saskatoon.

“On May 5 we go to Saskatoon to play against a couple Western teams – Alberta and Saskatchewan. Their teams aren’t made either, but they’re having tryouts at that time too,” said Samuelson.

The eligible age bracket for the girls is a 2004-2007 birth year, but the Yukon team is allowed up to nine 2003 over-age players. However, they only have four over-age players on the team.

Jordan Minifie, one of the key players of the U16 team, also spoke highly of the game.

“I really like it. I think it’s really good to play against the men because it’s better and we have to think more and I think they’re good competition for us.”

“I don’t think I played phenomenally tonight, but I think that overall, as a team, we played pretty good and we got a couple good chances on net and our defending improved a lot (more) tonight than I think it has in past games,” she added.

“I think we did improve as the game went on after we got a feel for the other team.

“It’s really great having (Head Coach) Neal (Sedgwick) here because he kind of reminds us of all the things we need to pay attention to in our playing to actually kind of make it like a good game that has a lot of like, thinking involved. Because, we went to a tournament just a few days ago ... we lost like, bad, and I think it was largely because we weren’t thinking as a team as much. So it’s good that Neil’s here to remind us to do that.”

The U16 girls were in the SX Cup tournament in Vancouver April 15-17 as the Whitehorse United U16 girls team.

“It was tough. I don’t think we played terribly. I just think we weren’t expecting the competition to be that tough and we weren’t really prepared for the outdoor field, because we’d been playing indoor for quite a while.”

To that end, the game with the men featured play with the boards being out of bounds to help the girls get used to playing outdoors.

Another game with the men was scheduled for Saturday evening.

Minifie said she’s looking forward to the outdoor season, if the snow in Whitehorse ever goes away, that is.

“Yeah, I’m really looking forward to it, especially going outdoors. I can’t wait for the snow to melt because playing outdoors is so much better, with the big field – lots of running.”

As for what’s next for the team, “Summer Games, Westerns, and we’re also going to Saskatoon in a couple weeks, and then we’re gonna play all the Western Canadian teams, so we can kind of get a better feel for other teams in the country,” said Minifie.

“I’m really looking forward to that.”

The Niagara Canada Summer Games are August 6 to 21.