Valley First Supports Local Soccer Club
April 1, 2015
Penticton, B.C. Kelowna United Football� Club (KUFC) announced Saturday a new partnership with Okanagan-based Valley First which will enable the Club to bring soccer to even more Kelowna youngsters.�
The new three-year deal will help KUFC develop and maintain its dome and facilities at the Mission sports fields on Gordon Dr. as well as keep soccer programs affordable and enable more at-risk youth to play soccer through subsidized fees. As part of the agreement Valley First will become title sponsor of KUFC and the sports dome will be renamed the Valley First Soccer Centre.
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"Were excited to be partnering with KUFC," says Kevin Smith, regional manager for the Central Okanagan at Valley First. "Joining with the club is a great fit for Valley First. Weve already firmly established ourselves as one of the leading financial institutions in the region; partnering with KUFC will enable us to further our support in the area. This sponsorship gives us the opportunity to deepen our connection with the Kelowna community while helping a strong, positive, local organization deliver a terrific program."
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KUFC President Mark Krehel is equally enthusiastic about the partnership.
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"With 5,000 youth and nearly 3,000 adults playing soccer it is by far the most popular, by participation, sport in the Central Okanagan," says Krehel. "Providing a place where we can nurture the growth and development of youth soccer in the Central Okanagan has been our goal since we opened our new facility 18 months ago.
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"Were very excited to announce a new long-term sponsorship agreement with Valley First. It wont be long until you will see their logo and name on all our game jerseys and many other areas. Through this new agreement we will be able to reach even more young footballers in the region through Valley Firsts support of the clubs camps, academies, coaching and player development. Wed like to really thank Valley First for its exceptional support and commitment to the growth of youth soccer in the region."
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Beyond supporting soccer programming and the KUFC facilities, the partnership with Valley First will also bring addition benefits to the club.
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"Building strong communities is the cornerstone of any credit union," says Smith. "Getting kids involved in sport is one way to build that passion and community pride. Another way is to ensure an element of supporting the community into everything we do.
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"Thats why, as part of our agreement with KUFC, Valley First will actively support the clubs community activities as well as explore ways to integrate our existing community investment programs such as Feed the Valley, which benefits our local food banks."
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About Kelowna United Football Club
Kelowna United Football Club is a part of the Central Okanagans Youth Soccer Association. Providing soccer programs, training camps and sporting opportunities to more than 5,000 children up to the age of 18, KUFC and COYSA are among the largest sports clubs in B.C. outside the Lower Mainland. KUFC and COYSA offer year-round soccer from their home at the Valley First Soccer Centre at the Mission Sports Fields and across the Central Okanagan.
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About Valley First
Valley First is a premier provider of banking, investment and insurance services for residents and businesses in the Okanagan, Similkameen and Thompson valleys. As a division of First West Credit Union, B.C.'s third-largest credit union with 54 branches and 42 insurance offices throughout the province, Valley First brings innovative products, an extensive branch network and local decision making to the banking experience. For more information on Valley First, visit www.valleyfirst.com
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