From BCSPL to BCPL + Meet Liam Howe and Keana Kirby
- Elise Coates
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Saturday was a big day for BCSPL call-up Keana Kirby! The teams were away in Surrey to compete against Unity FC and the grade 10 athlete was asked to step in as the starting keeper for our women’s team. “It was nerve racking and exciting for sure,” Kirby noted, “but I received great support from my coaching staff and teammates which really allowed me to enjoy and appreciate the opportunity.”
I think the few moments that stood out to me were a few of the 1-v-1 saves I made because that is something I have been working on all year with Mike [Michael Heppell] so it always feels good to put something that you've been working on in practice into a game scenario. But my favourite moments of the game were watching my teammates work so hard in front of me for the full 90 minutes. Camryn scoring the goal felt great.
The final score was 1-1 and “I think the overall vibe around the tie was super positive after the hard 90 everyone put in to secure it, especially after playing a strong team like Unity,” Kirby told us.
Kirby started playing for the club at 5 years old. From Happy Cleats to youth recreational to REP - she’s played it all. She now plays on NUFC’s 2010 BCSPL team. “I am also a coach and referee for the club which has given me the opportunity to give back to my club and community, while also getting to work with youth players.”
The BCSPL to BCPL Pathway
Kirby is one of quite a few BCSPL youth players to be called up this season and make an impact on our BCPL teams. Last weekend, Kai Bisaro-De Faria from the 2010 BCSPL boys’ team was rostered in the lads’ game against the Whitecaps.
This weekend, Bella Birchett, a 2009 BCSPL Nanaimo athlete who played this season for the Vancouver Island Wave, was also rostered for the game. Her teammate, Sophia Montpetit, was fully signed to the BCPL squad last week and assisted a goal in her first game minutes earlier this season. 2010 BCSPL NUFC athlete, Chloe Farragher, was rostered and played in some of the squad’s early season games and is currently recovering from a knee injury.
Having up and coming youth players working with older university and pro-am athletes is a huge part of what the BC Premier League is all about!
MEN’S GAME
“After going down 2-1 to Unity at half time, we knew that we needed to stay more organized both in our attack and defence to wear them out and create a change in momentum,” men’s player Liam Howe commented after the game. “After scoring early in the second half to tie the game, it felt like we found that momentum. With strong tackles defensively and quick counter attacks going forward, we secured 2 more goals and the win.” The lads won 4-2 on Saturday, taking all 3 points back to the island with them. Their hard work and recent wins has slotted NUFC into fourth position behind Langley United, the TSS Rovers, and the Whitecaps.
MEET LIAM HOWE
One of this weekend’s starters, Liam Howe, has played all across the island. Howe grew up in Courtenay but moved south in grade 10 to attend Brentwood College. While in the Victoria area, he played school soccer and for Victoria’s Vancouver Island Wave. Howe just completed his first year at Vancouver Island University, where he played on their men’s soccer team and for Nanaimo United’s Division 1 squad once the varsity season ended. A true island athlete!
NEXT UP
Catch Liam and Kiana in person on June 21 at Q’unq’inuqwtuxw Stadium - their second last home game! The women play at 1 PM and the men follow at 3:30 PM.
To buy tickets, visit our virtual box office.
See you in a few weeks! United!
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