By Alex Rickman

On a beautiful spring day in North Vancouver, Altitude FC hosted their second matchday of the season, welcoming Nanaimo United FC (formerly Harbourside FC) to Kinsmen Field. Following a rainy home opener, the crowds packed into the ground to take in some League1 BC action on one of the nicest days we’ve had in North Van in some time, and the teams did not disappoint. 

Coming off a 3-2 triumph over the reigning champion Vancouver Rise Academy, expectations were high for Altitude’s women, and they came out of the gate looking ready to exceed these expectations. Jesse Symons’ side played some beautiful football throughout the first half, creating chance after chance and controlling play throughout, with goalkeeper Kelsey Fisher providing a few clutch saves when Nanaimo got a rare break from the pressure. While the match would go into halftime 0-0, there was no doubt who had been the better side through the first 45. 

Early on in the second half, Ella Sunde would break the deadlock to give the home side the advantage, and from here, the floodgates finally opened. Bailey Doerksen would put home an excellent finish just two minutes after this, and Kiara Kilbey would add one of her own off a cross from Vanessa Tome to make it a 3-0 Altitude lead. Doerksen would add a brace just a few short minutes later, taking the game from a 0-0 affair to a 4-0 Altitude lead that would hold until the end of the game in just 10 minutes. 

To call this performance from Altitude dominant would be underselling it. Every player on the pitch looked sharp, and from kickoff to the final whistle, it was clear who the better side was. Altitude’s women currently sit tied with Unity FC, Langley United, and Evolution FC on 6 points at the top of the table, and have played some beautiful football en route to the top. 

On the men’s side, fans were anticipating Carson Buschman-Dormond's return to Altitude following a stint with Maltese side Balzan FC. Much like in the women’s game, Altitude got off to a hot start, putting the pressure on Nanaimo’s defence early on. Altitude came up with some big chances, including one off a free kick from Ollie Herbert, but Nanaimo hung in there, taking the game to halftime scoreless. 

Nanaimo looks strong in the second half, putting pressure back on Altitude and playing a far more back-and-forth half than we had seen so far in either of the day’s games. Both teams looked for a winner throughout the final 45, but eventually, the final whistle would blow on a 0-0 draw. Much like in their season-opening loss against the Whitecaps Academy, Altitude put up a performance to be proud of, but were unable to take home the 3 points. While they only have 1 point to show for their first couple of games, big things are on the way for the men. 

Altitude’s men and women will look to capitalize on their form against Kamloops United (formerly Rivers FC) on the road on April 26th, with the women kicking off at 3:00, followed by the men at 5:30. Altitude will then welcome Burnaby FC to Kinsmen on May 4th, with the women’s game starting at 1:00 and the men at 3:30. 

By Alex Rickman

Altitude FC kicked off their 2025 campaign on a rainy Sunday afternoon in North Vancouver against the Vancouver Rise and Whitecaps academies. Following a pair of strong campaigns in 2024 from both the women’s team and the men’s team, the latter of whom reached the League1 BC Final, and a busy offseason, anticipation was high amongst fans for what was to come. 

Kicking off at 1:00, Altitude’s women, now led by UBC Head Coach Jesse Symons, wasted no time putting heavy pressure on Rise. Right from the start, Altitude was relentless, creating plenty of chances and handling whatever Rise threw back at them comfortably. This finally paid off in the 34th minute, when Hannah Bains put away the first goal of Altitude’s season off of sustained pressure in front of the Rise goal. Not long after, Rise goalkeeper Sidney Venier was unable to control a corner kick from Olivia Gomez, putting it into her own net and doubling the Altitude advantage. Rise would recover, however, putting themselves off the board in the 43rd minute. In stoppage time, Rise would be awarded a penalty that would ultimately be converted by former Altitude player Jade Mitchell to send things into the break all square. 

Despite giving up the lead before the half, Altitude once again came out strong for the second half, controlling play and generating chances practically at will. The push to take the lead continued throughout the half, with Altitude heavily outchancing the visitors. In the 90th minute, Altitude would break the deadlock, with Olivia Gomez putting home a beautiful strike for what would prove to be the winning goal. Altitude’s performance in this game was nothing short of excellent, and fans should be excited about what’s to come from Jesse Symons’s side over the rest of the season. 

In the men’s game, things got off to a chippy start. While the women’s game would finish without a yellow card being given to either side, the Whitecaps would be shown the game's first yellow in the 2nd minute, the first of 7 cards to be given in this match. Altitude was on the front foot early in this contest and would capitalize on this good play in the 27th minute, when Thomas Budisa put home the game's opening goal. As the first half continued, the Whitecaps would begin to put more pressure on Altitude, but as we reached the half, it remained a 1-0 advantage for the home side. 

The Whitecaps managed to level things in the second half, and from here, the game became a nervy, back-and-forth affair. As both sides pushed harder and harder to find a winner, the Whitecaps would eventually take the lead in the 86th minute. Altitude mounted a strong effort throughout the closing minutes of the match but would be unable to find an equalizer, and the Caps would take home the 2-1 win. Despite the result, however, this was a strong performance from Altitude and should be looked at as something to build on rather than a missed opportunity. Some days, the bounces just don’t go your way, but with an effort like we saw today, big things will be on the way for Altitude’s men. 

Altitude will now have two weeks off before their next game, when they welcome Nanaimo United (formerly Harbourside FC) to Kinsmen Field on April 20th. Beginning with the women’s match at 1:00, this is sure to be a can’t miss day of League1 BC action, so come on down to Kinsmen Field and enjoy some beautiful Altitude FC football.

By Alex Rickman

Symons returns to League 1 BC as head coach for the Altitude FC women’s team for 2025 after spending the first two seasons in the league with Varsity FC and Nautsa’mawt FC. During these seasons he compiled a 20-2-4 record, winning the league 2022 and representing League 1 BC at the inaugural Inter-Provincial Championship. He has coached players on those teams that have gone on to sign professionally overseas, along with the NSL already.

Currently holding a CSA A License along with a Graduate Degree in technical leadership and coaching from the University of British Columbia, Symons has coached at every level in the women’s game over the past 25 years, in Canada. He helped grow and develop the Whitecaps Girls Elite REX program and also coached the last Women’s Whitecaps team in 2012, in the USL W-League.  While with the Vancouver Whitecaps, he coached in the PCSL, managing the first and only team to win the treble (league, challenge cup and premier international tournament, in Oregon, Washington, BC).

Provincially he has coached Team BC at the Canada Games twice, where both teams won national championships in 2009 and 2013.

After leaving the Whitecaps, he became the Technical Director of NSGSC, where he helped create a WPSL franchise under the club for two seasons, helping many players move on to professional environments around the world and competing against some of the strongest teams, including the Seattle Sounders in the Pacfic Northwest.

Symons has been very connected to the BCSPL, helping establish Mountain United as an inaugural club in the BCSPL in 2011 and also has supported Fusion FC for 5 years managing the coach and player development model for the club. He is also a BC soccer learning facilitator.

Currently, Symons has just completed his eighth season as the UBC women’s soccer head coach. In this time, he has won three USPORT national championships and three Canada West Championships amassing a record of 117-23-15 in regular season and playoffs.

He has been named the Canada West Coach of the year twice and was the 2024 USPORTS coach of the year. In 2024, under Symons’ guidance, UBC had the first perfect season in USPORTS history going 20-0 on route to a Canada West and USPORTS championship.

By Alex Rickman

Following Altitude’s 3-1 triumph over the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy in the semi-final, Altitude headed to Swangard Stadium for a clash with TSS Rovers for the League1 BC championship. With fans of both sides coming from near and far to pack the stands at Swangard, we were set for an unforgettable environment and an even better game on the pitch. So how did things go down on the day?

TSS would quickly strike first, scoring in the game’s opening seconds, but Altitude would soon turn the pressure back on and create some chances of their own. However, TSS would soon get a break and doubled their advantage in the 31st minute, giving Altitude a difficult task to come back against the league’s regular season champions. Despite this, however, Altitude spent much of the half controlling play, so a comeback was certainly not out of the question. Things needed to go right in the final 45 minutes for Altitude to take home the trophy, but as we have learned throughout the season, Altitude is not a team that you can ever rule out a comeback from. 

Following an aggressive start to the half, a perfectly placed strike from Ambrose Tinmouth finally got Altitude on the board in the 60th minute, cutting the TSS lead to one. Despite Nathan Walters being sent off late into the second half, a stroke of luck came Altitude’s way in the 84th minute, when Stazi Ahayo slotted home a penalty to level things. However, a few minutes later, TSS would be given a penalty of their own that would be put away to restore their advantage. Altitude would be given another chance from the spot in the 90th minute, but it sadly sailed high. The final whistle blew on a 3-2 victory for TSS, securing the championship for them in what can only be described as a heartbreaking end to Altitude’s best season in club history. 

Despite the upsetting result in the final, it’s important to remember just how great of a season it has been for Altitude. From some incredible individual performances to the first playoff appearance in club history to the great times had by fans at Kinsmen Field watching their team play, Altitude has been nothing short of a joy to watch this season. Next season promises to bring more can’t-miss action to Kinsmen, so keep coming out and supporting Altitude like you did all season. The future is bright on the North Shore.

By Alex Rickman

In Altitude FC’s first-ever postseason match, the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy were welcomed to Kinsmen Field for a clash with a spot in the League1 BC final on the line. Coming off a pair of 1-1 draws in their regular season matchups, this was anyone’s game to win at kickoff, but would home-field advantage be enough to give Altitude the upper hand and a date with TSS Rovers for a shot at the title? 

Right from kickoff, Altitude showed no intent to sit back and let the game come to them, pressing hard to keep possession and create chances early. In the 16th minute, these efforts paid off, as Oliver Herbert put the game’s opening goal home to give the boys in blue a 1-0 advantage. As the half carried on, things continued to favour the home side, who were putting in an extremely impressive performance for the fans. As the dust settled on the first 45, Altitude’s lead would remain 1-0, but it was clear that the home side was in the driver’s seat with one half remaining in their quest to the final. 

The Whitecaps, however, were not ready to go down without a fight, coming out swinging in what would be a hotly contested second half. As chances were traded throughout the beginning of the half, Ethan Stiver found an equalizer for the Caps 71st minute to put the pressure on Altitude in the late stages of the game. However, this deadlock would not last long, with super sub Lucas Booth smashing home an effort from the top of the box to restore the Altitude advantage. The Whitecaps came close to tying the game in the 84th minute, but a heroic clearance would keep Altitude on the front foot for the time being. 

Shortly after this, Oliver Herbert would find an 89th-minute brace to ice the game and secure a well-deserved victory for Altitude, eliminating the Whitecaps and setting Altitude up for a shot at the League1 BC title at Swangard Stadium. Altitude will take in Ironworkers Derby rivals TSS Rovers in the title decider, which will take place at Swangard on Sunday, August 4th at 4:00 pm, which will follow the women’s championship game between the Whitecaps Academy and Burnaby FC at 1:00. Both finals are set up to be can’t miss games, so be sure to head down to Swangard for a chance to witness history as Altitude prepares to fight for their first championship in club history.

By Alex Rickman

In the first rescheduled match in League1 BC’s history, Altitude’s men took on Burnaby in their regular season finale in a make-up of June 2nd’s rained-out match. Having already secured a spot in the postseason, Altitude could secure a home playoff game with a win and a result in the match between the Whitecaps Academy and Rivers taking place later that day. So how did things play out at Kinsmen?

Burnaby got off to a rapid start on this hot summer day, but Altitude held firm, beginning to firm up and create chances of their own, narrowly missing a few chances throughout the first 35 minutes of the contest. The deadlock would finally be broken in the 40th minute of the match when Sairoob Sairoob found the back of the net after Burnaby failed to clear a long throw from Hauke Tippe. Altitude would press to add another before the half but would have to settle for a one-goal lead to take into the break. Regardless, Altitude was doing their part through the first 45 to secure the right to host a playoff game for the first time in club history. 

Altitude wasted no time looking to double their advantage in the second half, and would quickly be rewarded for their efforts when Sairoob Sairoob put home a brace after dispossessing a Burnaby defender. From here to the end of the match, it was all Altitude. Lucas Booth nodded a long throw-in home in the 90th minute to extend Altitude’s lead to 3 and would find the back of the net just a few minutes later off of a corner to score the match’s final goal, the cherry on top of a 4-0 victory at home. Throughout the season, we saw plenty of impressive performances from Altitude, but this match stood out as one of the best. Whether it was the motivation to lock up a playoff game at home or to get a result for injured goalkeeper Marshall Herald, Altitude did not disappoint in their last regular season contest. 

Later on in Kamloops, Rivers FC would see out a 4-1 victory against the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy, securing a second-place finish for Altitude and a date with the defending champion Whitecaps at Kinsmen in the first playoff game in Altitude’s history. Altitude and the Whitecaps will square off on Sunday, July 28th at 1:00 PM, with the winner taking on the winner of TSS Rovers and Harbourside FC for the League1 BC championship. This will surely be a can’t-miss game, so come down to Kinsmen Field to watch Altitude play for a spot in the final.