Soccer, Team, 2024 |
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The Blue Mountain Thistles were a Coquitlam boys’ soccer team and the first squad ever from the New Westminster District to win the Sun Tournament of Soccer Champions, or B.C. championship, when they defeated the North Shore McSween Highlanders in 1969 at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby for the Division 5 title (at the time, Westminster District comprised teams from New West, Surrey and Coquitlam).
That was the Thistles’ first of three appearances in the provincial final, where they recorded two victories and one loss. They also reached the provincial quarter-finals once and the semi-finals three times, and a number of players earned all-star team selections.
In league play throughout their existence, from Division 7 (U-11) to Division 1 (U-18), the Thistles racked up a phenomenal record of 110 wins and two ties — and no losses. The Thistles were formed following the amalgamation of two Blue Mountain teams and managed for their entire epic run by Ian Tipton; their coaches included Bob Jones, Dan Bradley and Dave Norman.