TORONTO, ONTARIO and LAVAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Sept. 12, 2013) - The votes from Canadians have been tallied and the Monteuil Sparta U10 girls from Laval, Quebec, have been selected as the BMO Team of the Week 2013 Champion.
The title comes with a $125,000 prize towards a field refurbishment, a $5,000 donation to a charity of the team's choice, plus a trip to see a Toronto FC, Montreal Impact, Vancouver Whitecaps FC or Canadian National Team home game.
The Cataraqui Clippers from Kingston and the Hollandia Gremio from Saskatoon placed second and third, respectively, and will receive Major League Soccer (MLS) or Canadian team jerseys for 20 members of their team.
"What a great accomplishment it is for these girls to bring the BMO Team of the Week 2013 Champion title and grand prize home to the city of Laval, and we congratulate them on their win," said L. Jacques Ménard, President of BMO Financial Group, Quebec. "It's inspiring to know that the BMO Team of the Week program has touched so many people in such a positive way, right across the country," added Justine Fedak, Senior Vice President, Brand Advertising, Sponsorships & Merchandising, BMO Financial Group.
The Sparta girls have been actively rallying the community in order to garner votes. Over the past year, the team has raised more than $2,500 to support Le Club des petits déjeuners du Québec - a program that works to provide kids with a proper breakfast and a good learning environment. The $5,000 donation the team receives as part of winning the competition will also support the charity.
"I'm extremely proud of the girls and grateful for the incredible support from all the people who voted for us," said Sabatino Andreoni, Head Coach of the Monteuil Sparta. "We're excited to share this prize from BMO with the entire community. It will help us upgrade a facility in the Laval region and create a lasting legacy for young athletes.
"Thank you BMO for this memorable experience and for helping us turn our dream into a reality," added Mr. Andreoni.
The finalists in order of ranking are:
1 - Monteuil Sparta - Laval, QC |
2 - Cataraqui Clippers - Kingston, ON |
3 - Hollandia Gremio - Saskatoon, SK |
4 - Coastal FC Thunder - Surrey, BC |
5 - St Catharines Roma - St. Catharines, ON |
6 - Aurora Stingers - Aurora, ON |
7 - Scotia Soccer Club - Fall River, NS |
8 - Cambridge United - Cambridge, ON |
9 - Harbour City FC - Nanaimo, BC |
10 - Scottish United - Edmonton, AB |
11 - North Vancouver FC Surge - North Vancouver, BC |
12 - Blizzard Bayern - Calgary, AB |
13 - Halifax Dunbrack - Halifax, NS |
14 - FC Brossard - Brossard, QC |
15 - Red Deer Renegades - Red Deer, AB |
BMO Team of the Week Champions to date:
2011: Glen Shields Sun Devils - Vaughan, Ontario |
2012: Ladner Storm - Ladner, British Columbia |
2013: Monteuil Sparta - Laval, Quebec |
About BMO and Soccer
BMO supports soccer across Canada from youth players in local neighbourhoods and communities all the way up to the professional level. Our deep commitment to 'The Beautiful Game' is evident from our grassroots sponsorship of more than 1,000 youth teams nationally, to our support of Canada's men's and women's national teams, our professional teams (Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Montreal Impact) and our soccer venue title sponsorship (BMO Field).
About BMO Team of the Week
BMO Team of the Week is Canada's premier sport celebration at the grassroots level, engaging a nation and inspiring communities by recognizing youth soccer teams who demonstrate team pride, team spirit, community commitment and passion for the game. Fifteen weekly winners were named BMO Team of the Week and entered for a chance to be voted by Canadians as BMO Team of the Week 2013 Champion. Earlier this week Laval's Monteuil Sparta were named the 2013 BMO Team of the Week champion. The grand prize includes a $125,000 refurbishment of their community soccer field and a road trip to a Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Montreal Impact FC, or Canadian National Team home game. Former BMO Team of the Week Champions include Glen Shields Sun Devils 2000 (2011) and Ladner Storm (2012).