News Releases

OSHAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 6, 2011) -

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

BMO Financial Group announced today that the Oshawa Kicks Attack U10 Girls soccer team has been selected BMO Team of the Week. The team is now eligible to be the BMO Team of the Week 2011 Champion and win $125,000 to upgrade their local soccer field.

"What brings the Oshawa Kicks Attack U10 team together in such a cohesive way is not the glory of winning but the love of soccer, the importance of developing solid friendships and supporting teammates to perform to the best of their abilities. These girls exemplify respect and true passion for the game. Win or lose, these spirited players sing their team song and do the 'high 5 spectator run' at every game and are renowned for their open-arms welcome of new recruits," said Rick Kent and Wendy Ellis, coaches of the Oshawa Kicks Attack.

"The Oshawa Kicks Attack participated in the 5km Run for Epilepsy in Oshawa this spring and cheered on every teammate through the finish line. These kids proudly wear their team jerseys and warm-up jackets at every opportunity and never miss a chance to get together off the field for a social event. We are fortunate to have players and families that make our job so enjoyable and are very proud of the continued growth we see in these talented girls week after week," the coaches added.

Last season, the girls participated in a tournament through hail and rain. The wind blew away their hot chocolate stand which they set up for their fundraiser, yet they still played without complaint and, despite losing both the game and their stand, showed great spirit on the field.

"Congratulations to the Oshawa Kicks Attack. It is clear that these young girls play soccer for the love of the game and their team. It's great to see a team with so much spirit, which they have taken everywhere, from the field to the finish line of their 5km run for charity. It's a great pleasure to present this fun bunch with this week's BMO Team of the Week title," said Curtis Scragg, District Vice-President, GTA North, BMO Bank of Montreal.

The Oshawa Kicks Attack U10 Girls are the fourteenth of 15 youth soccer teams (age 7-12) across Canada that will be selected between April 1 and June 30 as weekly BMO Team of the Week winners based on team pride, spirit, community commitment and passion for the game. The winners will then vie for the title of BMO Team of the Week 2011 Champion, to be selected by the Canadian public through online voting beginning August 1.

The Oshawa Kicks Attack U10 Girls team profile can be viewed at www.BMOsoccer.com.

BMO Team of the Week Game Plan

From April 1 to June 30, Canadian soccer coaches and parents were invited to nominate their favourite soccer team by logging on to www.BMOsoccer.com.

A panel of judges will select a weekly winner and each BMO Team of the Week will receive $500, track suits and a gift to a charity of their choice. The final weekly winner will be announced July 13.

Canadians can vote for their favourite BMO Team of the Week beginning in August. The Champion will receive $125,000 toward a field refurbishment, a trip to see a Toronto FC or Vancouver Whitecaps FC home game, and $5,000 to a charity of their choice.

About BMO and Soccer

BMO supports soccer across Canada, from youth players in local neighbourhoods and communities, to the professional level. Our deep commitment to "The Beautiful Game" is evident with our grassroots sponsorship of more than 900 youth teams nationally. The relationship continues with support of Canada's men's and women's national teams, professional teams (Toronto FC, Montreal Impact & Vancouver Whitecaps FC) and our soccer venue title sponsorship (BMO Field).

To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20110705-kicksattack800.jpg.