Laval Comets

The Laval Comets (French: Comètes de Laval) is a Canadian women’s soccer team established in 2006 in the city of Laval, Quebec, a northern suburb of Montreal. The team is a member of the W-League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The team plays in the Great Lakes Division of the Central Conference against teams from Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Quebec City, Rochester and Toronto.

The team plays its home games at the Centre Sportif Bois-de-Boulogne. The club's colors are light blue and dark blue.

History

The Laval Comets is founded in 2005 by Pierre Marchand ( a businessman of Laval), following the demise of Montreal Xtreme (2004) and Dynamites de Laval (1997-2001). Pierre Marchand joins to 3 partners ( Montreal Impact, Centre Sportif Bois-de-Boulogne, and the Fédération de soccer du Québec ) who will allow to assure the team for period minimum of three years ^[1]. The club set up as a non-profit organization owned by the 3 partners: This to assure the survival of the team for some years ^[2]. In October 2005, the contacts are established with the W-League and a new franchising is granted to the group for the city of Laval. In November, 2005, a competition is thrown to find a name to the new team. Already a craze for the new team is tangible because hundred of names are subjected. And so the management of the club opts for the name Comètes de Laval ^[3]. In January 2006, the club confirms the first major sponsor joins the team (Grolsch beer). The presentation of team's colors shirts and the first players under contract takes place on March 8th, 2006 ^{[4] [5]}.

Year-by-year

• See also: 2006 season
• See also: 2007 season
• See also: 2008 season
• See also: 2009 season
• See also: 2010 season
• See also: 2011 season

Players

The Laval Comets have a wide range of talent, some from university, high school and others that currently play or have played for the Canadian National Team ( 7 Laval Comets players in the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship ) ^[13]. The season is short since most players play in Canadian and American universities, therefore it is designed to accommodate their schedules and ends the first week of August.

Squad 2011

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Notable former player

• Isabelle Morneau, 2006-2007
• Amy Walsh, 2006-2007-2008-2009
• Cindy Walsh, 2006-2007-2008-2009-2010 ^{[19] [20]}
• Anne-Marie Lapalme, 2006-2007-2008-2010 ^{[21] [22] [23]}
• Sandra Couture, 2007-2008 ^[24]
• Arianne Mano, 2008 ^[25]
• Christina Julien, 2009 ^{[26] [27]}

Coaching Staff 2011

• Head Coach: Lyonel Joseph ^[28]
• Assistant Coach: Cindy Walsh ^[29]
• Assistant Coach: Chantal Daigle

Former head coach

• Mohamed Hilen (2006, 2007, 2008)

Former assistant coach

• Owen Braun (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)

Rivalries

Laval Comets have a big rivalry with Quebec City Amiral SC ^{[30] [31] [32]}. Several former players of Comets play for the Amiral SC^{[33] [34]}. In matches between the two teams, it is not uncommon for supporters to travel Montreal-Quebec city or Quebec city-Montreal to go to encourage her teams.

Supporters

At the gate, the Comets had always been solid with average crowds of 500 fans ^[35]. After disappointing season in 2009 ^[36] (where the average gate was between 800 and 900 people), the attendance to the matches falls to 266 persons by match in 2010 ^[37].

The all-time single game high is the 952 fans in attendance against Ottawa Fury Women (friday evening July 4 2008) ^[38].

External links

• Officiel web site of Laval Comets/Comètes de Laval
• Laval Comets on USL Soccer

References