Cultural diversity is on a roll at the Williams Lake Men’s Indoor Soccer League.
Some of the countries players hail from include England, Eritrea, Nigeria, Switzerland, Bosnia, Macedonia, Hong Kong, Ukraine, India, Cuba, Mexico, Germany, Holland and of course, Canada with both First Nations and non-First Nations on the roster.
Many of their reasons for joining are similar, others are unique, but for anyone watching the games Tuesdays at Lake City Secondary School the love of the game is apparent.
Indoor soccer is intense. The balls move fast and the wooden floor is not as easy on the knees as the grass field.
Each team plays Tuesday with three games on the schedule.
Some of the players shared a bit about their experience, including Roberto Carranza of Mexico who was inspired to join because of the opportunity to play soccer in Canada.
“Canada has been growing and getting better in their soccer for the past few years, so I was very excited to live it in real life and be part of it in a big way,” he said.
He heard about the league through friends in the Mexican community and enjoys the level of competition.
“It’s good to see how everyone takes soccer really serious in town, also being able to play with friends and looking forward to playing every week,” Carranza said.
For Darko Ognjanov, who grew up in Macedonia, a country where soccer took centre stage, his involvement with the game dates back to his earliest memories.
“When I moved to Williams Lake, one of the first things I did was search if a soccer league existed here,” he said.
Through the league’s website he contacted the president who helped him join up.
It is a “unique blend of competitiveness and enjoyment,” of the leagues that he finds most appealing.
“It accommodates players of diverse skill levels, proving to be less intimidating than one might anticipate.”
He also enjoys the social dimension of the league and said that adds significant value.
“We gather together after almost every game,” he said.
Kristoffer Harris is originally from England and as “football” is the number one sport there and one of his own passions, it was par for the course he’d play while he was a high school student in Williams Lake.
From there he was referred to the men’s league and has never looked back.
While it can be competitive, he said it is a fun and exciting sport and he loves the soccer community.
“I’ve made lifetime friends from this sport and I enjoy every aspect, from playing, watching and coaching when time permits.”
It is the first time since COVID the league has grown to six teams with many new faces joining this year from all works and cultures of life, he said.
“It’s fantastic to see. We are hoping to see this grow more and more as this global sport becomes more popular in Canada.”
One of the newcomers to the league is Father Brendan Ogbenwelu, who arrived on Oct. 4, 2023 to serve as a priest at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Williams Lake.
Originally from Orlu Imo State, Nigeria, he began playing soccer at the age of 10.
He was part of gold-winning teams as a junior and senior, he said, adding soccer is the number one sport in Nigeria.
When he arrived in Williams Lake he asked if there was men’s soccer and learned from the Sacred Heart School secretary about the league and registered.
“I love it,” he said. “It is very tremendous for me. I never played indoor soccer until now. I can’t wait to play outdoor.”
On Friday, Feb. 2, he attended his first-ever hockey game in his life - the Stampeders game against the Quesnel Kangaroos.
This also his first winter and first time seeing snow in person.
Right now Father Brendan is the top scorer in the league and very well-liked, Harris said.
The indoor season starts in October and finishes at the end of April, while the outdoor season starts at end of May and runs until August with registration just around the corner.
Harris said the majority of the guys play both.
“We look forward to seeing more youth get involved in soccer,” he said. “Many players in this sport start their careers as early as 16.”
READ MORE: Williams Lake Men’s Indoor Soccer League standings
READ MORE: Williams Lake Men’s Soccer co-ed tournament honours former players
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