It’s a new game for a new team.
The TSS Rovers women’s soccer team may be a new entity, but they pack a whole lot of experience.
And Burnaby’s Emma Regan is eager to hit the pitch with her new teammates – even if some she’s known for years.
“I’m really excited for the season to start,” said Regan. “It’s something we all love to do, and to play competitive games against other girls, women, it’s what we play for.
“With (Whitecaps Regional EXCEL centre) we sometimes play against boys, but this will be a new experience for some of us.”
The team, making its debut in the 21-year-old Women’s Premier Soccer League, features standouts from the national women’s team, the under-20 and u17 women’s teams, Simon Fraser University and a host of NCAA commitments.
As the lone Canadian squad in an open-aged circuit, the Rovers will showcase a lot of youth from the Lower Mainland and B.C.
“We are going to be out of the gate a very dynamic team,” remarked TSS Rovers manager Will Cormack. “We are stocked with some exceptional ballers, and I think the challenge will be getting them to gel.”
Regan, a defender, said through a month of practices, chemistry is coming along but in-game experience will be something new. But among her teammates are long-time friends and soccer mates like Cliff Avenue and Burnaby Girls Soccer product Julia Grosso and Kaela Hansen.
“We’ve been together for a couple of weeks now, doing our practices as well as our Whitecap REX practices, but we expected it could take a couple of weeks to get to know one another,” she said. “It’s been really cool getting to know everyone, players who attend McGill University, Nebraska – because that’s an experience we’ll be facing ourselves.”
The season kicks off May 26 against the THUSC Diamonds, 1 p.m. at New West’s Mercer Stadium.
Regan, 18, has represented Canada a number of times in both u17 and u20, and is heading, along with Grosso, to the University of Texas in September.
That university proved to be the perfect fit and on her visit won her over with the coaches and players’ friendly welcome.
“I’m super-excited to be going there. As soon as I arrived (in Austin) I just felt really welcomed, it’s an amazing environment and the people were extremely welcoming.”
Having Grosso as a fellow freshman will make the transition from a Burnaby Central grad to a Texas Longhorn all the more smoother.
“It’s cool for us to be roommates,” said Regan. “It will really help us settle in and give us a place where we can feel not so lost.”
Hansen, a member of the national team pool, and, like Regan and Grosso, part of the Whitecaps REX program, will be on the midfield. She’s committed to Kansas University. Alpha Secondary grad Siena Porth, who is heading to the University of Toronto, is also on the Rovers roster.
The team also includes just-turned 17-year-old Jordyn Huitema, a teen standout with the senior national squad.
Regan says the players are eager to get going and to show what they can do against another level of competition.
“Everything is in the building process, but we’re all working together to make this work,” she said.
The Rovers are also slated to play the Seattle Sounders on June 17 at Burnaby’s Swangard Stadium.
