The U10 Ladner Storm girls soccer team found out earlier this week it has been named 2012 BMO Team of the Week champions.
The announcement was made Wednesday morning on Canada AM and CTV Morning Live.
Winning the national contest means the team receives $125,000 towards the refurbishment of their local soccer field, among other prizes.
Last month, as part of its nationwide youth soccer program, BMO Financial Group launched the official voting period for the BMO Team of the Week contest.
The Ladner Storm was one of 15 teams from across the country vying for the title. Voting was open to all Canadians from Aug. 13 to 27.
Over the two weeks of voting, the team managed to garner enough support to rise from 13th place all the way to first.
Team manager Shelley Semler said it was through the sheer determination and hard work of
the players and their families that the Storm was able to take first place ahead of teams from larger cities like Toronto and Ottawa.
Players and their families went door-to-door and business-to-business throughout the community spreading the word about the national contest. The team set up a mobile voting station outside Save-On-Foods in the finals days of the contest to get as many votes as possible.
"Our team did all the leg work," she said. "The credit definitely goes to the families."
In addition to the $125,000 for field improvements, the team won a trip to see a professional soccer game and $5,000 for the charity of its choice, which in this case is B.C.
Children's Hospital.
Semler said the team doesn't know yet exactly how the $125,000 will be used.
BMO ran its Team of the Week contest throughout the spring. From April 2 to July 13, Canadian soccer coaches and parents submitted nominations for their favourite youth soccer teams, explaining why their team deserved to be the BMO Team of the Week.
Fifteen weekly winners were selected by a panel of judges, each receiving a $500 team prize, $500 for their charity of choice, BMO Team of the Week tracksuits and a celebration at a local BMO branch.
Semler was the one who initially entered the team in the contest.
She said the girls are "so dedicated and so driven, they're just a pleasure to coach," adding the group embodies all of the characteristics of a Team of the Week.
