CALGARY, AB – Calgary Foothills Men’s (FC) and Women’s (WFC) League1 Alberta teams will play host in a doubleheader against Southwest United (Callies) on Tuesday, May 7, at the Macron Performance Centre. The doubleheader marks the official start of the season, and the Callies will face tough competition against the 2023 season defending men’s champions, FC, and the WFC, who finished the women’s division with a strong performance.
WFC kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Head Coach Colin Mackay says, “We were disappointed in our League1 placing last year. Foothills has a history of success on the female side, and these high expectations won’t change heading into the 2024 League1 season. We have a very strong core of proven university players, accomplished alumni, and a strong group of young academy players that we will utilize as we push for League success.”
An exciting player to watch will be Grace Hannaford, a midfielder from Halifax who attends Cape Breton University. Grace has experience representing her province as part of the Nova Scotia Canada Games team and is looking for the next step. “The Canadian Women’s Professional League means everything to me because soon there will be a pathway for women to play in their home country after university,” Hannaford stated, encapsulating a feeling shared by many women throughout Canada.
At 8:00 p.m., our FC team hits the pitch, and it will be particularly exciting as the team works to defend its 2023 championship. “Our guys are looking to continue the winning tradition they established last year,” says Marc McLaren, the squad’s Head Coach. Meeting the Callies for the first time adds a little more desire to step up and set a positive pace for the year.”
Centre-back and Calgary native Miguel Mendoza has a wealth of experience, including playing with Stallion Laguna FC, TB Uphusen, and FC Oberneuland, as well as representing the Philippine Senior National Team and the Philippine National Team U-23. Mendoza is excited for the season, stating, “The goal is simply to win the League and qualify for the Canadian Championship. With both the depth and potential of the squad, we really have an opportunity to compete for another League title. Also, coming home and playing for my hometown club is definitely something special. I’m really excited to represent Foothills.”
The May 7 matches will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Macron Performance Centre, 111 Exploration Avenue, Calgary, Alberta. Tickets to the season opener doubleheader will be available at the door, or season tickets can be purchased here.
ABOUT FOOTHILLS FC and WFC IN LEAGUE1 ALBERTA
League1 Alberta is the province of Alberta’s pro-am, standards-based senior league. It serves as a stepping stone between the high-performance youth level, elite amateur, and professional levels within Alberta. League1 Alberta aims to showcase and develop Canada’s future soccer stars, coaches, and match officials. In 2024, League1 Alberta expanded to include additional teams and has officially joined League1 Canada. This season is expected to be more competitive than ever.
In 2023, Foothills FC placed first in the regular season and then won the championship final against St. Albert Impact in front of a hometown crowd. The team’s outstanding results were especially sweet since it was the League’s inaugural season, and they are looking forward to a repeat performance in 2024. The Foothills FC League1 Alberta team is coached by Marc McLaren.
Foothills WFC ended the 2023 season with a 5-3-1 record. The team saw significant improvement as the year progressed, including winning its final regular-season game. It is positioned to continue gaining momentum and bring home a championship in 2024. Colin Mackay coaches the Foothills WFC League1 Alberta team.
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