Smooth transition for Colley as new Queens head coach
When Dave Colley took over as head coach of the RDC Queens soccer team this season it was an easy transition.
Colley, who has been an assistant coach with the Queens for several years under head coach Jerry Gerling, has technically 16 veterans on his 18-player roster. Thirteen players return from last season while two others — midfielders Brianne Boychuk and Julie Farmer — played two years ago and sweeper Amber Regnier of Rimbey played the last two years with Grande Prairie. Regnier also played with the Red Deer Renegades in the Alberta Major Soccer League.
“Amber’s a perfect addition to replace (all-star) Samantha Vockeroth,” said Colley, who has only two rookies on the squad — keeper Lauren Good of the Red Deer U18 United squad and defender Amy Harris of Edmonton.
“I’m impressed how quickly everyone came together” added Colley. “Our first exhibition game looked like we’ve been playing together all season. Mind you we’ve been having two-a-day workouts since the end of July and we do have a lot of experience.”
Colley understands the fact he knows the girls made for a “seamless” transition.
“It was nice to be able to step in and know the girls and except for a couple of them, they knew me,” Colley said. “It was a relaxing atmosphere.”
Colley worked with the defence and goaltenders with Gerling, who handled the midfielders and forwards.
“But I always paid attention to all areas of the team,” said Colley. “In fact I had all our players watch the rest of the girls so they knew their strengths and weaknesses, which made it easier when you’re playing alongside them.”
The Queens should be strong on the back end with Regnier and Harris joining veteran Stephanie Thurston and Good challenging Caitlyn McDougall in goal.
Stephanie Tremblay, who played defence last year, has moved up front and scored twice in the Queens 5-0 exhibition win over Lethbridge.
Katie LaGrange, Allison Walsh and Tayler Letwin return up front with Alberta Colleges Women’s Soccer League South Division all-star Sam Martin, Moria Duley, Lauren Bowman, Leslie-Ann Kroeker, Kayla Keenan, Sarah Fulmer and Kylie Morrison back in the midfield.
Thurston, a fourth-year player from Sylvan Lake, and Walsh, a third-year player from Red Deer, have been named team captains.
The Queens finished at 4-4-2 last season and second in the south, losing to Grant MacEwan 3-0 in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, the RDC Kings posted a 4-5-1 record and placed third in the south, losing 2-0 to the Concordia Thunder in the quarter-finals.
It was the first time in several years the Kings made the post season, something head coach Steve Fullarton hopes to make an annual event.
“We hope to repeat, plus we hope to get off to a better start, which will make things easier,” said Fullarton, who has only six veterans back.
‘We would have liked a few more back, but we have a good group and the number of newcomers should make for strong teams in the future,” he said.
The Kings should be solid on the back end which includes keeper Brad Hughes.
“Having Brad back there is a good starting point,” said Fullarton. “He’s very strong and hopefully he’s not as busy as he was at times last year.”
Connor Kiddey and Greg Reddekopp return as defenders and Tanner Newfield has moved back from up front. Gurjit Sandhu of Ponoka, who played two years ago, returns on defence, although he plays a number of positions, while newcomer Patrick Sweiger of Red Deer has looked good on defence.
The Kings received a blow this week when defender Scott MacLeod had to leave the team.
“He’s in the trades and his classes don’t start until the end of September, so he’d miss most of the season,” explained Fullarton.
Midfielders Louis Porterfield and Tor Seitinger are the other returnees.
Fullarton does have some experience up front with the addition of midfielder Scott Weetch of Calgary, who previously played with Lethbridge College and the University of Lethbridge.
As well midfielders Curtis and Kale Donald of Rocky Mountain House, red shirted with the Kings last season.
Red Deer U18 grad Joseph Ziebart has impressed in the early going as a striker, having scored five times in the preseason.
Midfielder Dallas Hughes and midfielder/keeper Stefan Dugas also played U18 in Red Deer.
Logan Vogt of Cranbrook, B.C. and Jos Van Benthem of Olds are new faces up front with John Crabtree of Lethbridge in the midfield.
The Kings also have a new assistant coach in former Alberta provincial coach John Walker as well as team chiropractor Stephen Kelly and fitness and nutrition coach Catherine Mercer.
The RDC teams open their regular season this weekend in a home-and-home series against Lakeland College — Saturday in Lloydminster and Sunday at RDC. The women get underway at noon with the men to follow.
“I don’t know anything about them as they’re new to the league, but I have been told they have a good side,” said Fullarton. “All I know is that we won’t take them lightly.”
Colley agrees.
“We’ll respect them, as we do all our opponents,” he said.
drode@reddeeradvocate.com
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