The Creston Valley was buzzing with energy as more than 250 female athletes from across the East and West Kootenays came together for the annual Kootenay Cup Soccer Challenge.
Held April 25–26, teams from Kimberley, Nakusp, Sparwood, Cranbrook, Invermere, Castlegar, Trail, and Jaffray joined local players on the field, many bringing both junior and senior squads for a full weekend of competitive play.
This year marked a particularly memorable milestone for longtime tournament organizer Mel Lankhaar-Rejman. For the first time in over two decades of managing the Kootenay Cup, the Kootenay River Secondary School (KRSS) senior girls played five regulation matches without conceding a single goal.
"The weather was fantastic, and it was great to see so much talent and many impressive skill levels from Grades 8 to 12," said Lankhaar-Rejman.
The senior squad opened the tournament against Mount Baker Secondary School (MBSS), a AAA-ranked team from Cranbrook. After a hard-fought 0–0 match, the game ended in a dramatic nine-player shootout, with MBSS narrowly taking the win. The KRSS junior team also had two of their games go to shootouts – and came out victorious in both.
The Creston teams earned second place overall in both divisions.
Looking ahead, the KRSS teams will travel to Nakusp from May 2 to 3 to face competitors from Grand Forks, Revelstoke, Oliver, and Vernon. The Junior East Kootenay Championships take place May 7 in Cranbrook, while the Senior AA Zone tournament — offering a berth to provincials — will be held May 14 in Nelson.
Thanks was extended to community sponsors Save-On-Foods, Pealow’s Independent, and Dairy Queen for their generous support, as well as the dedicated KRSS coaches – including senior coaches Tesse Poznikoff and Kat Takeda, and junior coaches Dan McCowan, Abbi Stewart, and Alicea Shukin.
"Special thanks to the amazing teaching and coaching staff at KRSS, CUPE members, along with parents and family for all their continued support of our young female athletes," said Lankhaar-Rejman.
