Thursday June 24, 2021 | LANGFORD, BC
by Mary P Brooke, Editor | Island Social Trends
The Langford-based Pacific FC team is in Winnipeg for the opening of the 2021 Canadian Premier League (CPL) professional soccer season. All games in the opening stanza set will be played there at IG Field starting with the opening match on Saturday June 26, in which Pacific FC will play against the HFX Wanderers.
Today Coach Pa-Modou Kah gave a pre-season media interview by Zoom, focussing on how the team has been gearing up for this season after a long pause during the COVID-19 pandemic.
BC public health was supportive:
Kah said that he’s working with the young players to help them get back up to speed, but that the public health regulations in BC were “very helpful” in that Pacific FC was able to “start earlier than other teams” in the league.
Step 1 in the BC Recovery program (May 15 to June 14) allowed this leeway for sport:
- Indoor low intensity group exercise allowed with limited capacity
- Outdoor games and practices for both adults and youth group/team sports allowed
- No spectators at any indoor or outdoor sport activities
As well, BC has had a robust immunization program, with presently (to June 23) 77.2% of British Columbians adults receiving a first dose (75.8% of BC residents age 12+) of COVID-19 vaccine. BC is using first-dose criteria as part of its 4-step restart, while also working on second-dose success.
Third season:
To start this third CPL season there will be eight matches in Winnipeg, of a total 32-match season. All games will be broadcast live on OneSoccer.
Other than a short one-city bubble-style season held in Prince Edward Island last summer, the pandemic kept CPL from having a regular season last year. The inaugural season was in 2019, so this is now the third season for the team that calls Starlight Stadium (formerly Westhills Stadium) home.
In their inaugural year, the PCF coach at the time (Michael Silberbauer) said in an after-game media scrum that the players (especially the younger ones) were having some difficulty with the challenges of frequent cross-country travel. So perhaps one of those many silver linings of the COVID pandemic is that travel is less frequent this year for all players in the league.
There are eight rosters in the CPL.
Local action:
Pacific FC team gear went on sale recently in Langford, including a short time at Starlight Stadium where people could buy hats, shirts and other items in person.
===== LINKS (previous articles by Island Social Trends):
CPL season to play out on east coast during COVID with virtual seats (July 29, 2020)
Pacific FC players start voluntary workouts as organizers hope for 2020 season (June 1, 2020)
Pacific FC announces new head coach for 2020 Season (January 14, 2020)
Pacific FC heads into last game without head coach but with sellout finale (October 18, 2019)
Inaugural Pacific FC game: Langford becomes a soccer town (April 29, 2019)
