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Highlanders Host Five at RAP
The Victoria Highlanders continued growth and expansion along with some scheduling conflicts at Bear Mountain Stadium in Langford has created the need for the club to play half their 2011 season at the downtown Victoria Royal Athletic Park (RAP) this summer.
Formed in 2008 by visionary soccer enthusiast and local entrepreneur Alex D. Campbell, the Highlanders started out as one USL team beginning play in the Premier Development League in 2009. The long term plan for Campbell was to build out a development program providing soccer players on the island a place to hone their skills and move their game to a new level without needing to leave home. The club's first partner, Coast Capital Savings and their Community & Sponsorship Director Gerry Eaton believed in Campbell's dream and came on as the Title Partner to help foster growth and development of boys and girls, men and women under the Highlander banner.
"From the beginning the great people of Coast Capital got behind the idea and have been instrumental in ensuring the support and resources to create the plan", recalls Campbell.
The next step in the plan was to introduce a women's program in order to engage young females, who make up nearly 50% of soccer registration on the island, and start a high profile Women's team. In 2010 the Women's team was formed and played in the Pacific Coast Soccer League, replacing the former Victoria Stars. Later that year, the club made the decision to move the team up to the more competitive and national USL W-League for the 2011 season. Subsequently, both teams formed reserve and prospects sides to support the first teams with an in-house "farm system". One final piece to the plan was required to make the Highlanders program link between youth and senior players...a training Academy where young islanders could be identified and trained to achieve their football goals. more...
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Mid Isle Affiliation
Victoria, BC - The Victoria Highlanders FC have begun to move their footprint north with the announcement they have formed an affiliation with a Nanaimo-based group to create the Mid Isle Highlanders FC. The group is led by long time Nanaimo Soccer family, Bill & Cheryl Merriman, along with eldest son James (a former Victoria Highlanders Midfielder), who will take on GM duties for the club. The coaching & academy staff will work together in identifying and developing players on the entire island as Highlander Nation continues its growth.
"The Highlanders family is excited with our affiliation with the mid Isle group. We have known the Merrimans a long time and they have been a driving force in developing athletes in the Nanaimo region. We expect to extend our relationships further up the island so this is a strategic partnership to create more opportunities for island footballers. This relationship will not only add depth to our program but also allow the two academies, clinics and camps up the island to have a definite Highlander brand and quality that we are proud to offer." said Highlanders GM Drew Finerty, whose sentiments were echoed by his Mid Isle counterpart, James Merriman. more...
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Taylor Rising
Victoria Highlanders Academy player Bryan Taylor has been named to BC's U16 Provincial Squad.Taylor, a '95 birth year, already playing for the U18 Victoria Highlanders Prospects squad has now been named to the BC U16 Provincial squad, a huge honor for the Victorian raised footballer, and the experience is not lost on him.
"It was really exciting getting the phone call on the Saturday and hearing that I made it" said Taylor.
"I'm really looking forward to another good summer of soccer."
His appointment to Team BC comes as part of a whirlwind few months for Taylor, who was also invited to join MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps FC's Combine Camp in March. Taylor has already attended academy training programs with several professional clubs in the U.K. including Arsenal, Tottenham, Stoke City, Leicester, and Falkirk but still praises the training he has received right here in Victoria as a member of the Highlanders Academy. more...
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Prospects Undefeated in UK
Stoke-on-Trent, England - The U-18 Highlanders Prospects got their UK tour off to a smashing start on the weekend, drawing 0-0 versus Port Vale's Prospects in Stoke-on-Trenton, England. The close match could have ended in a win for either club as the two teams exchanged scoring chances in the second half to no avail. The Prospects then went on to defeat Notts County U16's 6-3 before finishing off the tour with a 3-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday U16's.
"The intensity and physicality of this environment has been a great education for our young players" said Assistant Coach Dave Ravenhill.
The staff and players from English side Port Vale were impressed by the strong play of the Highlanders Prospects and gained a respect for their Canadian counterparts throughout the day. To Read Full Article more...
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PDL, W-League Skeds Released
TAMPA, Fla. - United Soccer Leagues released the divisional alignment and schedule for the Premier Development League, with the 512-game regular season getting underway the weekend of April 30-May 1.
The defending PDL champion Portland Timbers U23s, the first team in the PDL's 15-year history to finish as undefeated champions, open their 2011 campaign on Friday, May 6, when they play host to the Victoria Highlanders.
United Soccer Leagues also released the divisional alignment and schedule for the W-League, with the action slated to kick off for the 158-game regular season on Saturday, May 14. A trio of new W-League teams for 2011 will make their debut on the 14th, with the Dayton Dutch Lions, LA Strikers and Victoria Highlanders kicking off their inaugural seasons.
more...
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Port Vale FC July Friendly 
Port Vale, England - Port Vale Football Club, currently of the English Second Division, has announced their Summer 2011 North American Tour and will travel to the Pacific Northwest on July 12th 2011 for exhibition friendlies in Washington against North Sound Sea Wolves (July 15), Tacoma Tide (July 17) and Kitsap Pumas (July 19) before heading north to Canada playing Victoria Highlanders (July 21) and returning to the UK from Vancouver on July 21st. All four of Port Vales opponents compete in the Northwest Division (Western Conference) of the USL Premier Development League - the tour's title sponsor has been announced as AMERITURF SYSTEMS (www.ameriturfsystems.com). more... |
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"Beautiful Women of the Beautiful Game" Calendar
In addition to their athletic talents, the Highlanders Women's Team has proven they may have future careers in modeling to boot.
The Victoria Highlanders Women's FC has launched their first annual calendar, titled "Beautiful Women of the Beautiful Game". This 13-month calendar celebrates the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup with all proceeds raised going towards the team's much anticipated move to the W-League. The team paired up with Fetching Image Photography to deliver a professional product that is classy and beautiful while maintaining the strength of female athletes.
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VHFC Connected:
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Greetings!
The Victoria Highlanders FC would like to thank you for your continuing support. We have created this Newsletter to update our loyal fans and partners on all the events and news surrounding our ever-expanding family. You are a major part of our organization and we hope you continue to enjoy our product(s) as we continue to strive for excellence, on and off the pitch.
Sincerely,
Dustin Finerty
Victoria Highlanders FC
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Highlanders Owner, Mascot Head to Jail
Highlanders FC Owner and President Alex Campbell Jr. will be heading to the "Big House" along with the Club's Mascot for this year's annual "Jail or Bail" fundraiser. The program involves members of the Oak Bay Police Department "arresting" local celebrities and locking them up in a makeshift jail at Hillside Mall where they will be sentenced by a judge who will decide what their bail price will be. People can then Bail them out by making donations. Funds raised by releasing the two Highlanders FC icons will go to support the Oak Bay High Hero Holiday Project.
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2011 Season Tickets On Sale Now!!
The Highlanders are pleased to announce season tickets are now on sale on-line through their website or calling the office (250 590 8432). The USL has now released the 2011 schedule. The Spokane Spiders have ceased operations and the Yakima Reds (under new ownership) have moved to Snohomish County in Everett (as the North Sound Seawolves) making the Northwest Division an eight team league. Playing 16 games, the unbalanced schedule will feature the three Canadian teams playing each other 3 times and their American rivals twice each, 8 home and 8 away. The season ticket package includes ten games in the Grand Stands with Individual game sales beginning April 1st. General Admission tickets are only available on game day. The ten games package features 8 PDL league games, the Annual "MS Kick for the Cure" Derby match vs Victoria United and this year's tenth game - opposing international touring British FA side, Port Vale FC. PDL:* Youth (4-12) - $75, Sr & Student (over 12) - $100, Adult (18+) - $125. Premium (all ages) - $165. W-League: Youth (4-17) - $35, Adult $75 * Last year the club had almost 800 season tickets for a 1200 seat Grand Stand so you will want to reserve your tickets early to be assured of great seats to exciting USL and international football. Season ticket holders also receive "priority" ordering for season tickets when the club moves up to USL Pro, potentially in 2012/13. Order Online Now!!!
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Canada Awarded Women's World Cup
The FIFA Women's World Cup™ is hosted every four years, with the next event scheduled from 26 June to 17 July 2011 in Germany. For 2015, the event will expand from 16 to 24 participating countries and from 32 to 52 matches. As it is the new practice, the FIFA Women's World Cup™ host nation will also host the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in the preceding year, so both the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup 2014 and FIFA Women's World Cup 2015™ are awarded together to the same host nation. "The successful bid would not have been possible without support from all levels of government and we wish to express our sincere appreciation for the role that they have played in our successful bid," acknowledged Canadian Soccer Association General Secretary, Peter Montopoli. "In particular, the Government of Canada has been a key partner from the onset of the bid process along with the respective provincial and municipal governments." In November 2010, the Association welcomed participants to bid information sessions to provide information for potential host cities of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2015™. In total, seven Candidate Bid Cities were able to commit to being included within the bid submission: Vancouver, BC, Edmonton, AB, Winnipeg, MB, Ottawa, ON, Montr�al, QC, Halifax, NS and Moncton, NB. The Canadian Soccer Association formally submitted its Bid Book to FIFA on 11 February, 2011 after working closely with all levels of government and the Candidate Bid Cities to prepare the bid documents. The Canadian Soccer Association will now work closely with the Candidate Bid Cities over the coming months to prepare for FIFA's initial site inspections which are expected to occur in the fall. Official Host Cities will be announced some time following the site inspections after a thorough review by FIFA. more...
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ADVERTISE HERE
contact dustin@victoriahighlandersfc.com for details
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Bulletin Board
Clan Updates:
A CD with three favorite Highlanders songs, including "We'll Be Coming", is now available for the first time sung by the always passionate McGillicudys Band featuring some of our Bravehearts.
Spring 2011:Make sure you stay up to date on all the latest Highlanders FC pre-season news from player signings to Friendly announcementsCheck out more on our site, Click HereNOTE: 2011 Seasons Tickets on sale now! Check our tickets page for updates and ticket packages!
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