A look back at 1974 reveals an inflation rate of 12 percent, 55 cent a gallon gas (14.3 cents per litre), the appearance of pocket calculators, bar codes and ironically the introduction of the MRI Scanner (Magnetic Resonance Imaging).
Significant world events indeed, but of more importance to Powell River’s soccer community was the entrance of Villa into the Vancouver Island Soccer League (VISL).
In 1972 local Senior Soccer League president, Roy Drury and VISL expansionist Bill Merrison succeeded in placing Villa in Division 3.
“It was a big deal amongst the soccer community,” recalled the team’s first coach Iain Livingstone, “because there was a huge amount of people involved in soccer and a big league with seven or eight teams in the local senior mens’ league and maybe three times as many kids playing in youth soccer.”
He has a ledger going back to the 1940s of all soccer meetings and every so often it’s mentioned about getting into the island league or Vancouver league teams. In 1958 teams even played a couple of exhibition games but nothing ever came of it until 1972.
In its inaugural year Villa had a wildly successful home debut at Timberlane Park where, led by league MVP George Orchiston, they trounced the Victoria Kickers 8-1.
They lost just three games that year, won the division and subsequently jumped a level to the Premier Division where, for a few years, they settled into the middle of the pack.
Early accolades went to individual stars such as top scorer Graham Hollingsworth, league MVP recipient Drew Ferguson and Rookie of the Year Shaun Leach, but as a team Villa’s development shone most brightly in the next decade.
League executive of the year Mike Verdiel fielded the first Villa squad to become North Island Champions and Jackson Cup finalists in 1988-89 and eventually VISL champs in 1990 behind the offense of Ross Simpson and defense of the league’s top keeper Cam Kleimeer.
Since then, Villa has gone on to many individual awards and team finals but they, like other organizations in the city, have struggled with shallower player pools and rising costs.
Nonetheless, the proud organization intends to celebrate its 40 year anniversary with a raucous reunion expected to draw hundreds.
Carlson Community Club will host a weekend full of soccer players and memories with a social on Friday, September 5, and an alumni game Saturday afternoon, September 6. Following the game teammates and friends will enjoy a buffet and dance expected to last long into the night.
Interest in the reunion is growing and alumni can follow this event on the organizer’s Facebook page, Villa 40th Reunion, to get the very latest details.
