The Martensville High School (MHS) Senior Girls Soccer team hosted the 2024 SHSAA 4A Girls Provincials this past weekend winning the first Provincial Gold Medal for soccer in the school’s history.
MHS was ranked second going into the weekend with games beginning Friday, October 24th at noon. Yorkton beat North Battleford 3-2 in a very close match that was down to the final whistle. The 2pm game saw Martensville Royals beat Regina Luther 2-0 thanks to goals from Chloe Bartel and Rachel Hubbard.
The semifinal games were played between North Battleford John Paul II and Yorkton Sacred Heart and Martensville Royals and Regina Luther.
In the bronze medal game on Saturday, Regina beat North Battleford 2-1. In the gold medal game Martensville beat Yorkton 1-0 with a penalty kick in the first half by Chloe Bartel.
Coach Carryn Berk has been a very dedicated coach for this team for the past ten years.
“I feel incredibly privileged to have been part of the 2024 Martensville High School Girls Soccer Team’s success. Coaching this team has been a dream come true. The journey from the challenging seasons of 2021 to 2023; when we had minimal senior players; has been transformative. It’s rare to have so many players receive consistent playing time over four years, and this opportunity allowed us to build remarkable chemistry and enhance our skills significantly.”
“We began with many Grade 9 players who were new to the game, and by the time they reached Grade 12, they had blossomed into a team of true superstars! The 2024 roster included 16 Grade 12’s, two Grade 11’s, eight Grade 10’s, and five Grade 9’s. While we’ll be saying goodbye to many talented graduates this year, there’s still a wealth of skill and potential remaining in the program.”
“For the past decade, I’ve had the honor of coaching both the girls’ and boys’ teams alongside Ms. Cooper and Ms. McKinnon. Their dedication and hard work have been instrumental in our success, and I’m deeply grateful for the collaboration we’ve shared. This past season has been especially meaningful as I’ve had the joy of coaching alongside my son, Jaymin Berk. Few parents have the chance to share a passion like this with their child.”
“As I hang up my whistle, I do so on a high note, thanks to the hard work and commitment of the 2024 team. Congratulations on winning Provincial Gold! Your achievements will always hold a special place in my heart,” said Coach Carryn Berk.
As this is the last year Berk will be coaching, some of the captains of the team had some special words to share about their Coach.
“Coach Carryn never failed to show up to every single practice and game with new knowledge and great passion for the sport. She shared to us girls what it’s like to have a great role model. She made every practice competitive but always made sure we had fun. Carryn’s free time was spent creating new drills, writing in her notebook, and sharing to us her motivational speeches.
She made us into the girls we are today, and we couldn’t have done it without her. We will forever be grateful for Carryn and the time and knowledge she shared with us.”
Coach Ms. Cooper also shared her appreciation of some of the qualities Berk instilled in her players.
“As the season comes to a close, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for Carryn’s incredible dedication and leadership over the past decade at Martensville High School. Watching the growth of our team over the last four years has truly been exceptional, and so much of that is thanks to Carryn’s unwavering commitment and passion for the game.”
“Carryn shaped a team full of multi-sports athletes who juggle various responsibilities, yet you’ve always encouraged them to strive for excellence both on and off the field. The girls’ goal of playing in the Provincial Final and their triumph as champions in front of family and friends was a perfect testament to the hard work and determination you instilled in them.”
“As we graduate 16 outstanding players this year, I want to acknowledge the leadership and commitment they’ve shown; qualities that Carryn nurtured throughout their time with our team. Her ability to connect with each athlete as an individual has made a lasting impact, fostering not just skilled players, but well-rounded individuals.”
“This season will always be one to remember, and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to coach alongside Carryn and learn from her example. Carryn’s legacy at MHS will continue through the athletes she inspired. Thank you for everything, Carryn. You will be greatly missed!”
In the last three years this team has won three provincial banners (the first three in our history); Silver in 2022 and 2023, and now Gold in 2024.
ABOVE: Coaches of the MHS Girls Soccer team; (L to R) Jaymin Berk, Carryn Berk, Breanne Cooper, and Kayla Kurmey. This year marks Carryn Berk’s final year coaching the team, after helping contribute to the team’s success for the past decade.
