Edmonton Victoria is returning to the BMO National Championships Jubilee Trophy competition after winning the Fred Kern Cup in Alberta. Edmonton Victoria won the provincial title after finishing first in the round-robin competition, finishing first ahead of the Calgary Callies. Edmonton won back-to-back Jubilee Trophies in 2004 and 2005.

'When we are healthy and totally fit, I will put my money down for us to win,' said head coach Rick Haxby.

This will be Edmonton’s sixth trip to the Jubilee Trophy competition in the last eight years. Edmonton won silver in 2002, bronze in 2003, gold in 2004 and 2005, and bronze in 2007.

In the provincial competition, Edmonton had a short bench because it lost a pair of players to ACL injuries at the 2009 Canada Games Women’s Soccer Tournament (goalkeeper Elisa Stamatakis and forward Kayla Michaels). Edmonton still managed to win all four of its games, including a 3:2 victory over Northwest to clinch the Fred Kern Cup on the final day.

In the final match, Edmonton featured Lindsey Letendre in goal, Mickel Yuzdepski, Veronique Mayer, Keshia Wallin and Darci Kutryk on defence, Amanda Black, Carleigh Miller and sisters Jacqueline and Michelle Smith at midfield, and Tori Martyn and Lyndsay Stewart up front. Martyn scored two goals in the 3:2 win over Northwest while substitute Heather Young scored the winner.

The Saskatchewan Soccer Association will host the 2009 BMO National Championships this 7-12 October in conjunction with Saskatoon Adult Soccer Inc. Both the Challenge Trophy (senior men) and Jubilee Trophy (senior women) competitions will take place in Saskatoon, SK.

So far in 2009, British Columbia’s West Van FC, Alberta’s Calgary Callies, Saskatchewan’s Huskie Alumni, Manitoba’s Hellas SC, Québec’s Beauport, Nova Scotia’s Halifax City and Newfoundland Labrador’s Holy Cross have qualified for the Challenge Trophy competition. British Columbia’s Surrey United, Alberta’s Edmonton Victoria, Saskatchewan’s Saskatoon NATA, Manitoba’s South End United, Nova Scotia’s Halifax City, Nova Scotia’s Halifax Dunbrack and Newfoundland Labrador’s EPR Kirby/The Dock have qualified for the Jubilee Trophy competition.

BMO Financial Group is proud to support soccer at all levels across Canada, from grassroots to Canada’s national teams. Starting with sponsorship of more than 400 Canadian youth teams to the title support of elite youth players at the BMO National Championships, through to the professional-team support (Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC) and sponsorship of the Canadian men’s and women’s national soccer teams, BMO Financial Group is serious about Canadian soccer. For more information on BMO’s support of soccer in Canada, visit bmosoccer.com.