Penticton Pinnacles

The Penticton Pinnacles, Penticton Soccer Club’s entry in the PCSL, may have only been in the Pacific Coast Soccer League since 1997 but the Penticton Soccer Club (PSC) has been an integral part of the Okanagan community for over fifty years.

The Penticton Pinnacles men’s team was created with a mandate to promote local soccer and to provide young players with a chance to play on a quality team in the highest caliber soccer league available. Although the club has yet to finish higher than sixth in the standings during its eight years in existence, the scoreline routinely belies the capability of the club.

The PSC was formed and played its first full season of soccer in 1954. Originally known as the Queen’s Park Rangers the club  played home games at Queen’s Park in Penticton. They were part of the Okanagan Valley Soccer League (OVSL) along with Osoyoos, Kelowna, Vernon, Armstrong and Kamloops and lost only one regular season game in its first two seasons. 

The OVSL soon expanded to include Revelstoke, North Kamloops and a second Kelowna team. This was an extremely competitive league with very strong inter-city rivalries. The PSC’s Senior Men’s team was able to win numerous OVSL league and cup championships including five straight League, Royal Cup and League Playoff Cup (The Triple) championships prior to joining the Pacific Coast Soccer League. During these years the team was run by Charlie Goeckel, Ray Hintz, George Millar and Dave Calvert.

In 1961 the PSC started a youth soccer program and in 1970 the Penticton Men’s Soccer League. The Penticton Men’s League has become the South Okanagan Men’s League and Youth Soccer is now part of the South Okanagan Youth Soccer Association. This year will be the 44th Annual May Classic Tournament organised and hosted by the PSC involving 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams.

Roger Handley, Brian McMillan, George Millar, Bill Tulloch, Nick Holtz, Oskar Beierle, Alex Ferreira, Ray Hintz and Charlie Goeckel are among the many who have contributed an immense amount of time and effort to the club. The PSC has hosted the annual Old-timers Soccer Tournament for the past 27 years. Every Thanksgiving Day Long Weekend a total of 50 men’s and women’s teams compete in their respective age categories.

In 1982 the PSC’s dream of having their very own clubhouse took root. An agreement was reached with the City of Penticton to provide land and share in the maintenance of a new facility at King’s Park. In four years the PSC was able to raise the money and build a facility second to none.

Today the Penticton Soccer Club is a non-profit society and is an amalgamation of the South Okanagan Men’s League, the Old-timer’s League and the Pinnacles SC. The PSC has had a strong connection with Youth Soccer in the past and is looking to improve and strengthen that connection in the future. With the dedication of it’s members and the support of Penticton and the South Okanagan area the Penticton Soccer Club will continue to provide the highest level of competition and enjoyment possible of the world’s most popular sport to all the citizens of the region, we hope for another fifty years and more.

More  Penticton Soccer History

This year the Penticton Soccer Club (PSC)  was formed and played its first full season of soccer in 1954.

The PSC’s first executive consisted of Alf Preen – President, Jack Wall – Secretary/Treasurer and Coach Jimmy Jenkins. Members of that first team were Jack Elliott, Stan Kelly, George Christy, Rob McLaren, Graham McLaren, Jimmy Johnson, Bob Rotledge, Casey Jong, Jerry Ritchie, George Brochu, Elmer Brochu, Robert Conway and Wally Morgan. Tom McLaren and Charlie Goeckel joined the team in the spring of 1955.

The PSC was originally known as the Queen’s Park Rangers and of course, played their home games at Queen’s Park. They were part of the Okanagan Valley Soccer League (OVSL) along with Osoyoos, Kelowna, Vernon, Armstrong and Kamloops. The PSC lost only one regular season game in its first two seasons. They were able to defeat Kelowna in the playoffs, winning the Royal Cup both years.

The OVSL soon expanded to include Revelstoke, North Kamloops and a second Kelowna team. This was an extremely competitive league with very strong inter-city rivalries. By the mid 60’s the PSC had two teams playing in the Okanagan Valley Soccer League. The IWA Union sponsored one team while the Valley Hotel sponsored the other team. The Okanagan Valley Soccer League eventually evolved into the Capri Insurance Men’s League. The PSC’s Senior Men’s team was able to win numerous League and Cup championships. The team was able to win five straight League, Royal Cup and League Playoff Cup (The Triple) championships prior to joining the Pacific Coast Soccer League. The team was also able to win the gold medal at the 1993 B.C. Summer Games. During these years the team was run by Charlie Goeckel, Ray Hintz, George Millar and Dave Calvert. Several outstanding players such as Mike Beliveau, Manuel Borba, Terry Peach, Andy Selles, Peter Selles, Brad Trach, Pat Van Ryswyk, Guido Rigony and Mauricio Cepeda were part of the team. Without doubt the most outstanding and valuable player was and continues to be Zeke Pescada.

In 1961 the PSC started its youth soccer program. Charlie Goeckel, Les Roberts and Helmut Gedig ran the program for the PSC. This program included coaching, refereeing, team sponsorships and clinics at no cost to the young players. All costs for the program were looked after by the PSC.

In 1962, the PSC started the Annual May Long Weekend Soccer Tournament. Vancouver Alpen Club FC, Vancouver Mount Pleasant Legion FC, Grand Forks FC and PSC were the original participants. Mount Pleasant Legion FC have the honour of being the first champions. During most of the 1980’s and 1990’s the reigning Canadian Amateur Champions competed at the May Long Weekend Tournaments. This year will be the 43rd Annual May Classic Tournament involving 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams. The PSC would like to thank Pacific Western Breweries for their support of this tournament over the past several years.

In 1970 the PSC organized the Penticton Men’s Soccer League. This league was made up of teams formed by young local players and older players from the OVSL teams. The PSC provided uniforms, nets, balls, referees and leadership for the first several years to get the league started. Both the Men’s Soccer League and Youth Soccer have grown into strong organizations due in no small part to the hard work of the members of the PSC. The Penticton Men’s League has become the South Okanagan Men’s League and Youth Soccer is now part of the South Okanagan Youth Soccer Association.

The Old-timer’s team has been a strong part of the PSC for many years. They play in the Okanagan Old-timer’s League and have represented Penticton and the PSC very well in league and tournament play. The Old-timer’s have been instrumental in raising funds for the facility at King’s Park. Roger Handley, Brian McMillan, George Millar, Bill Tulloch, Nick Holtz, Oskar Beierle, Alex Ferreira and Charlie Goeckel are among the many who have contributed an immense amount of time and effort to the club. The PSC has hosted the annual Old-timers Soccer Tournament for the past 27 years. Every Thanksgiving Day Long Weekend a total of 50 men’s and women’s teams compete in their respective age categories. Pacific Western Breweries has continued to support this tournament and it is very much appreciated by all participants.

In 1982 the PSC’s dream of having their very own clubhouse took root. An agreement was reached with the City of Penticton to provide land and share in the maintenance of a new facility at King’s Park. In four years the PSC was able to raise the money and build a facility second to none.

The PSC’s next project was to build a third field at King’s Park. Fencing for the park and night lighting for the second field were part of the project. This was accomplished and paid for by the PSC.

In 1996 the PSC’s contribution to B.C. Summer Games held in Penticton was to re-sod the main field. The PSC raised $40,000 and with the help of the City of Penticton, field one was resurfaced.

For several years the PSC fielded a very strong ladies team that played in the Okanagan Valley League. They have represented Penticton at the B.C. Summer Games many times. The present team under coach Joanne Shick is still affiliated with the PSC. The team continues to help out and play at the May Classic Tournament every year.

In 1997 the PSC decided to enter a team called the Penticton Pinnacles in the Pacific Coast Soccer League. This league is the premier summer amateur soccer league in BC and Washington State with teams from Victoria, Vancouver, New Westminster, Surrey, Langley, Port Moody/Coquitlam, Seattle, Bellingham, and Kelowna. This year, teams from Kamloops and Richmond have been added. The mandate of the Pinnacles is to promote local soccer and to provide our young players with a chance to play on a quality team in the highest calibre soccer league available to us. While we have had to use some out of area players in the past to remain competitive, the PSC’s goal is, and will always be, to field a competitive team comprising local players. Ray Hintz and Manual Borba have been the coaches of the Pinnacles for the past three years but this season they have passed the coaching duties on to Ivo Jaager, a long time youth coach and member of the PSC. Ray and Manual will conduct youth camps and clinics throughout the south Okanagan on behalf of the PSC. The PSC wish to thank Tim Horton’s Donuts for their support of the Pinnacles since day one. This summer the Pinnacles will host the Vancouver Whitecaps in an exhibition match at 2:00pm on the 27 June at King's Park, Penticton, B.C.

Today the Penticton Soccer Club is a non-profit society and is an amalgamation of the South Okanagan Men’s League, the Old-timer’s League and the Pinnacles SC. The PSC has had a strong connection with Youth Soccer in the past and is looking to improve and strengthen that connection in the future. During the past 50 years the PSC has played a variety of teams such as the Montreal Olympics, Canada U19 Team West, and Frankfort Germany. With the dedication of it’s members and the support of Penticton and the South Okanagan area the Penticton Soccer Club will continue to provide the highest level of competition and enjoyment possible of the world’s most popular sport to all the citizens of the region.

KHALSA SOCCER DYNASTY

By Harvey Kooner

Take an RCMP Officer, an Optometrist, a Doctor, a University Professor, a Real Estate Agent, a Dartmouth University Student, Computer Programmers, Future Engineers, Dentists, Accountants, Teachers, Physiotherapist, and young students with full scholarships all over the USA and what does that equal? The Khalsa Soccer Sporting Dynasty. This team of academics has won the coveted Pacific Coast Soccer League championships for the second time in three years. This team is built upon a solid foundation of team camaraderie, history, and pride for the Khalsa name.

In their 1 – 0 victory over Victoria United in the PCSL championship game, Randy Celebrini busted through two defenders and unleashed a thunderous shot, bending in to the far right post early in the match. With great goal tending by the top goalie of the tournament, Didar Sandhu (Vancouver Whitecaps), and fierce defending by the game MVP, Harry Sandhu, Khalsa went on to hoist the Holy Grail of their sport: The PCSL Championship trophy. Parm Gill, the team’s coach summed up the victory, "We showed character, grit and determination. I say the final against Victoria showed we are the best team in the league."

Established in May 1964, Mr. Pralad Gill and Mr, Sohan Deo found emptiness amongst the small yet sparse South Asian community. As newcomers to a foreign country, many sports and leisure activities enjoyed by the community were also foreign to them. For this reason, Mr. Gill and Mr. Deo collaborated and founded this club, which not only bridged all those descended from India together, but opened that many more opportunities for all those interested in pursuing their dream for the love of the sport called soccer. During the times where the legendary Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau was paving the way for immigrants into Canada, the Khalsa Sporting Club offered a non – threatening, comfortable environment where individuals could come and play freely without prejudice. When the first generation immigrants arrived in Canada there were not too many things certain. But the Khalsa Sporting Club offered a sociable way to interact with community members, and a place to network and help one another as a testament to true Khalsa brotherhood. The club is open to anyone regardless of religion, caste, ethnicity or creed with one requirement; the love of soccer and the spirit of a winner.

In December 1994, the club reached its height when the Government of Punjab, in conjunction with the Punjab State Sports Council, invited the club to compete in soccer matches in Punjab, India. The team also traveled to Punjab in February 1999 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Sikh religion and played in an invitational tournament. As a result, of the teams’ travels they gained international recognition and are planning a tour of the United Kingdom next. Recently, the club celebrated their fifteenth anniversary as part of the prestigious Pacific Coast Soccer League, which is respectively recognized as the highest league in Canada.

Over decades of recruiting and training players has translated into the Khalsa Sporting Club being a hot spot for Universities, Colleges, and other professional teams hunting for fresh talent. University scouts come to games, which provides an important basis for players to obtain University or college scholarships. Jason Sarai is an honoree to receive a scholarship in the United States at the University of Pittsburgh. Others include Nic Stankov and Jordan Pires who went to West Florida State and Alan Marcina who is attending Barry University in Florida. Eighteen-year-old soccer phenom, Amar Takhar has been recruited by the prestigious Ivy league school, Dartmouth. In the fall, he will be playing soccer and pursuing a degree in Business there. Other well known local soccer players from the local ranks that have played for the Khalsa Sporting Club include: Ivor Evans, John Sulentic, Chris Caveiro, Nico Craveiro who all played for the Whitecaps.

The Khalsa Sporting Club also plays a, vital role in the future of our youth. "The club provides an outlet that gives off reserve energy to do something positive rather than giving off energy in a negative manner" added President & Owner: Mr. Sukhchain Gill. This non-profit organization has endlessly lobbied to maintain our cultural roots while portraying a positive image to our youth. Unity has been the key to success as Mr. Pralad Gill and Mr. Sohan Deo had envisioned, as they rode the roller coaster ride to success marking a historic landmark in South Asian history. This legacy has survived thirty years and will continue to do so for many more.

This year the team is making waves once again by playing their inaugural year in the Vancouver Premier League. The team is always on the lookout for talented soccer players, for more information contact: Coach Parm Gill at: 604-307-6276, or email: parm001@hotmail.com or Team Manager: Inder Gill at: 604-724-4227, or email: igill67@telus.net. For more information on the Khalsa Sporting Club or the PCSL league, log onto the Internet at: www.geocities.com/khalsa_sport or at: www.pcsl.bc.ca.

VICTORIA UNITED

 Victoria United can look back with pride of many years of achievements. In 2004, the club distinguished itself by being only the second club in the history of the League and the first men’s club to earn the PCSL triple crown by winning the George Cambidge Memorial League Cup, the Sheila Anderson Memorial (Challenge) Cup  and the J. F. Kennedy Trophy. This had only been achieved previously by the Seattle Hibernian & Caledonian Saints women who, in 2001 won the Jacques Moon Memorial League Cup, the Dave Fryatt Challenge Cup and the Kevin McAdams Memorial Cup.

During 2004 Victoria United also celebrated 100 years of history and 10 years in the PCSL. The original Victoria United was formed from the merger of the Victoria Association Football Club  and the Capital City Athletic Association and played in the Association Football League as Victoria United for the first time in 1904-1905.  Victoria United earned it's first trophy, the Garrison Cup, in their inaugural 1904-05 season. This success evidently stimulated interest because in 1906 the club had enough players to enter two teams in the league, the Rovers and the Wanderers.  By 1908 Victoria United was playing in the newly formed Pacific Coast Association Football League.

In 1950 an all star select team came to Victoria from England comprising mainly players who had not made the England team playing in the world cup in the United States that year. All were first class players with the most notable being the great Stanley Matthews, he had not been selected for the English World Cup team because the English selectors thought he was getting too old, he was then in his mid 30s. The English Selects faced a local all-star team comprising about 70% Victoria United and the rest from the local district league. The English squad prevailed 3-2 before an enthusiastic crowd of 4,700 people at the old Athletic Park but it was a very exhilarating experience for all concerned.

Although club strip changed over the years, United players have always dressed in blue and white. The early club crest comprised a maple leaf with the words Victoria over the top and United below.

Victoria United has endured various permutations during its 100 year existence, much of which   are reflected in the list of  club achievements including winning the original Kennedy Cup tournament in 1967. All are part of the rich heritage of today's Victoria United.

Acknowledgements: Frank Grealy and "From the Sidelines" a history of Vancouver Island Soccer from 1896-1996 by author Dave Unwin