Hanover soccer building elite youth player base

Developing elite soccer players in Steinbach has been a challenge over the years, but the Hanover Soccer Club is starting to see some results.

Bjarne Weiss coaches the club’s U15 premier team in the Winnipeg Youth Soccer League. After forming in 2021, the team is finally starting to see success on the pitch, under the tutelage of the 24-year-old coach.

“This year we are fighting with every team in the division, every game is a tight one and that’s just been a a great improvement, especially for the area of Steinbach,” Weiss said.

“It’s good to see there is a team that is able to go toe-to-toe with teams in Winnipeg.”

Tough years with little results hasn’t stopped a core group of players from sticking with soccer. It helps more players from across the region are playing with Hanover.

“We want to encourage that more and more to keep improving,” Weiss said.

In addition to a bigger player pool to draw upon, coaching is on the rise inside the club. Weiss has a national certification, and has the goal of getting a professional licence.

“We have great facilities, some of the best in Manitoba,” Weiss said, adding the lack of an indoor field is hindering development.

“I’m working on my coaching education, so are many other coaches. There’s many young coaches in the program who are really working together.”

Players from the region are now starting to work with college programs, with Weiss saying he’s optimistic about Hanover Soccer Club’s future. He was delighted to see Spanish professional team CF Valencia hold a camp in Steinbach this summer.

“That’s our next step, just to really have a future laid out, a future plan and a future way of developing players,” Weiss said.

“Working closely with our big Valencia club and coming together with our local clubs… At the end of the day we want to develop soccer not only in Steinbach but in the RM of Hanover.”

Weiss started coaching as a 14-year-old.

“A lot of parents, especially when I was younger, looked at me skeptically, and I’m grateful that I got the opportunity,” Weiss said.

“I’m proud of all the players I coached. Seeing some of them still come up to me now, years later is what shows me I’ve left a positive difference in people’s lives.”

As the club grows, the need for more support off the field has as well, with Weiss thanking volunteer parents for stepping up.

“I’m very confident that the future of this club is in very good hands,” he said.

“If we can develop a plan then we will have one of the better futures in Manitoba soccer.”

Hanover’s U15 premier team has no more home games left on their schedule, but will play out six more games in Winnipeg this season.