After only three years of play, the Niverville Force men’s soccer team has proven that it is indeed a force to be reckoned with. The squad ended their 2023 season in second place, only one point behind first.

In July 2021, Force head coach and co-owner Andry Giesbrecht told The Citizen that his goal for the team was to climb from their original position in the Manitoba Major Soccer League (MMSL) third division up to division one.

Three seasons later, they are already there.

“[With this] promotion, we are now a top 20 team in the entire province of Manitoba,” says Giesbrecht. “And since we started only three years ago, this is something to be excited about. We have come a long way.”

Team manager and co-owner Sue Thompson credits several factors to the Force’s great success.

“Our team dynamic is definitely the best out of the entire MMSL, in my opinion,” Thompson says. “Credit to the players for coming to practice and working hard at games and the coaching/managing staff.”

This year, Giesbrecht worked alongside two assistant coaches. They also had their own athletic therapist. As always, Thompson is on hand to keep up with social media and all the behind the scenes work of keeping the operation going.

Thompson says that even the weather cooperated with them this year. The Force finished earlier in the year than other teams because not a single game was rained out.

Giesbrecht and Thompson also give credit to their local team sponsors for the success of the Force. Their sponsors supported them throughout the entire season, including at their annual golf tournament.

“Playing at home definitely is the best part for me,” Thompson says. “It has nothing to do with travelling, but the pure excitement of watching our fans come out and support us [excited me]. Our guys are so pumped to play at home in front of large crowds. This year, we also had two home game days [when] we gave out ice cream sandwiches to the fans.”

She says that each home game has drawn approximately 100 to 150 spectators.

Giesbrecht is full of pride for his athletes. “It’s a testament to the players and everyone involved,” he says. “We thank them for their hard work and dedication to the team.”

The Force is always looking to add to their squad and will be actively recruiting for next year.

“Anyone looking to join should keep a close eye on our social media about open training sessions during the winter, as we will start preparation for next season [in] early January,” Giesbrecht adds.