By Dan Plouffe
The Ottawa South United Force U14 girls are in very unfamiliar territory. Not only are they playing their first season in the province’s top soccer league, they’re also very near the top.
It’s already an unprecedented level for an Ottawa team that young to reach, and the 8-4-1 squad has a chance to cement their name in the record books if they become the first club from the region to win an Ontario Youth Soccer League division title. With three games left to play, OSU is three points back of Woodbridge, who have just one match left.
“It’s true – there are not too many teams at that level that have done this,” highlights coach Widdgin Bernard. “But this group is very determined to finish on top.”
The bulk of the Force girls have been training together for a remarkable six years, which has been a big help as the squad made the jump to Level 1 following an undefeated U13 season against regional opponents.
“The girls know each other and they want this really bad,” adds Bernard, whose lineup boasts three key offensive weapons – Andrianna Dmuchalsky, Julia Rosenthal and Alexis Martel-Lamothe. “They train hard, they work out together, and they work well together as a unit. They’re a great, great team.”