Replicating their indoor winter success will be no easy feat for the GSSC (Greater Sudbury Soccer Club) U15 Impact boys team this summer.

But at least they enter the challenge armed with the confidence of a highly productive PISL (Provincial Indoor Soccer League) season on their side.

Needing just a win in their final two games to secure the league crown, the U15 lads swept the weekend set, completing their season with a record of 11-0-1 that featured 42 goals scored and just five goals surrendered.

"The players that we have committed to playing better defense," said head coach Nigel Croome. "They wanted to be better at defense - so we tried to cut down on basic mistakes. I told them: don't try and win the game from the defense."

"Bring the ball down, under control and then start the play from the defense," he added. "No nonsense defense is what I called it."

That, however, was just part of the reason for the improvement with the crew that jumped from mid-table (2023-2024 PISL) right to the top.

"I know it sounds like a cliché," said Croome. "We have different players with different levels of skill and different types of skills on the team, but they are very much a team."

"They are playing for the side and not for the self. They cheer for each other. They get along well as a team. It's a very good, solid, close unit."

In early iModel pre-qualification action, the Impact are sitting with a record of 1-2-1, playing to a 1-1 draw with Richmond Hill, blanking the Bradford Wolves 3-0, but losing to both Newmarket and Kleinburg Nobleton Soccer Club by the identical score of 2-0.

Players suiting up with the summer U15 boys team include Sebastian Gonzalez, Alexandre Ben-Anteur, Quentin Hallock, Devun Panella, Waylan Croome, Diego Larios, Samuel Lazare, Nathan Estriplet, Domadius Aziz, Iliyas Sambo, Papa Amofa, Xander Millett, Logan Anderson, Ezio Cusinato, Joshua Arewa, Mohammed Najem, Liam Muldoon, Daman Lalonde, Enyinwa Elandu and Sebastian Moncada.

The PISL team also included a pair of North Bay talents in the form of Corvyn Forest and Matteo Ricciuti.