Burnaby welcomes first provincial soccer tournament in three years as the return to sport continues

For the first time since 2019, 48 teams from across B.C. gathered in Burnaby on the Canada Day weekend for the 2022 Provincial Girls B Cup.

The tournament featured players between the ages of 13 and 18 from as far away as Quesnel, Shuswap and Nelson come to Burnaby for four days of competition. Two-thirds of the participating teams were from outside of the Lower Mainland.

“I think we are lucky to have a place like Burnaby Lake West,” explains Ryan McQuillan, Competitions and Member Services Officer for the BC Soccer Association. “Players who come from more remote areas of the province and are blown away by these facilities. We used six fields to facilitate our competition. It’s amazing.”

Because of pandemic restrictions, this was the first opportunity in three years for many players, coaches and families to experience a provincial competition. “There was an air of relief that we could be back together,” adds McQuillan.

From a sport event and logistics perspective, the local organizing committee’s Chris Murphy says this tournament was an opportunity provide a sport and travel experience again, especially for those from smaller communities. “For me, its about the whole package,” says Murphy. “Sport is the reason, but experience is the why. We want teams to come to Burnaby an enjoy the competition and all that the Lower Mainland has to offer.”

The results of the 2022 Girls B Cup are here.