Mac was looking through his old soccer bag and found an important LWO artifact...a napkin from a long ago tourney with the following scripture.
And the Lord saw that the New Order had done good. He saw the toiling in the fields and the gardens and he was pleased. But he spoke of a new evil that plagues mankind. "Do not forget that the vessel of the whole is made up of the individual. Should one lose faith, the others will falter. Therefore do not worship false idols, but be true only to the order." And the Lord provided them with yellow crayons and the pact was made.
God Bless the LWO!
God Bless the LWO!
A Letter from T-Roy
Hi LWOers,
Further to our conversation last week regarding our induction to the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame, I've got some tidbits that we are very proud of and I'd like to share.
We were founded in 1994 as the Livewire Lightning. We dominated the Shuswap Men’s Soccer League for the next decade and, while affiliated with the Livewire, we received VIP passes that enabled us to skip lineups and avoid paying cover charge. In those days, there actually was only lineups and a $2 cover charge on long weekends in the summer, but it was a nice gesture nonetheless.
In 1994, the Lightning won their first August Long tourney title. The Lighting were the first team in Salmon Arm’s history to win the title.
The Lightning did not win the Shuswap Men’s Soccer League title that year, fielding a squad of ten for the final and losing in overtime. They did win the league for countless years in a row after that, including two straight perfect seasons.
In 1998, the Livewire Lightning were beginning their transition to an August Long tourney team. As many of the players no longer lived in Salmon Arm, a decision was made to call the team the Lightning World Order (“LWO”). The LWO won the August Long title in 1998 and used the fund from that victory to purchase the now famous yellow t-shirts that they wore for their repeat tourney victory in 1999.
After that, there was a period of decline for the LWO as many players were aging and were not regularly playing anymore. As a result, players from Bays United were added to the LWO roster starting in about 2003.
By 2005, the LWO had resurfaced as a powerful team at August Long. That year, they lost a heartbreaking semi-final in overtime. The following year, however, the LWO returned to glory and beat Canmore to capture the tourney title.
The LWO also has a notable collection of players/alumni who have passed through our Club to do shit that you don’t even know about...world championships, gang bangs, name it and the LWO has done it. Today the LWO is still one team. A Legendary team. Full of Legends. The LWO represents hard annually on the field and in the beer gardens.
In April, some Legends lace up the skates for a hockey tourney. Multiple titles have been won.
In 2019 history was made when the LWO Legends entered 2 teams in the Vernon tourney and won both the o35 and o40 divisions. FUCKING LEGENDARY!
We will be reuniting Legends, old & new every year in Vernon...mark your calendars and let no weddings, funerals, births, or illnesses get in the way.
Again from behalf of EVERYONE at the LWO, we thank you for the honours.
Youknowit,
Troy Taillefer
Further to our conversation last week regarding our induction to the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame, I've got some tidbits that we are very proud of and I'd like to share.
We were founded in 1994 as the Livewire Lightning. We dominated the Shuswap Men’s Soccer League for the next decade and, while affiliated with the Livewire, we received VIP passes that enabled us to skip lineups and avoid paying cover charge. In those days, there actually was only lineups and a $2 cover charge on long weekends in the summer, but it was a nice gesture nonetheless.
In 1994, the Lightning won their first August Long tourney title. The Lighting were the first team in Salmon Arm’s history to win the title.
The Lightning did not win the Shuswap Men’s Soccer League title that year, fielding a squad of ten for the final and losing in overtime. They did win the league for countless years in a row after that, including two straight perfect seasons.
In 1998, the Livewire Lightning were beginning their transition to an August Long tourney team. As many of the players no longer lived in Salmon Arm, a decision was made to call the team the Lightning World Order (“LWO”). The LWO won the August Long title in 1998 and used the fund from that victory to purchase the now famous yellow t-shirts that they wore for their repeat tourney victory in 1999.
After that, there was a period of decline for the LWO as many players were aging and were not regularly playing anymore. As a result, players from Bays United were added to the LWO roster starting in about 2003.
By 2005, the LWO had resurfaced as a powerful team at August Long. That year, they lost a heartbreaking semi-final in overtime. The following year, however, the LWO returned to glory and beat Canmore to capture the tourney title.
The LWO also has a notable collection of players/alumni who have passed through our Club to do shit that you don’t even know about...world championships, gang bangs, name it and the LWO has done it. Today the LWO is still one team. A Legendary team. Full of Legends. The LWO represents hard annually on the field and in the beer gardens.
In April, some Legends lace up the skates for a hockey tourney. Multiple titles have been won.
In 2019 history was made when the LWO Legends entered 2 teams in the Vernon tourney and won both the o35 and o40 divisions. FUCKING LEGENDARY!
We will be reuniting Legends, old & new every year in Vernon...mark your calendars and let no weddings, funerals, births, or illnesses get in the way.
Again from behalf of EVERYONE at the LWO, we thank you for the honours.
Youknowit,
Troy Taillefer
This timeline of the LWO was created over tumblers of rye and any errors are to be blamed on said rye. E-mail MAC if you have any info to correct or add.
1989 Salmon Valley Sports Strikers
In 1989, Glyn Walters organized the Salmon Vally Sports Strikers. This was a seminal moment in the history of the LWO as several members began their playing career with this group, including: Glyn, Al and Gwil Walters, Murray Hurlbert, John Humphries, John Mujcin, and Matt Phillips.
1990 Players Pub Strikers
Getting sponsored by a pub was a popular step as many of the players were just coming of age (literally and metaphorically). This season of play included steps toward professionalism, and an attempt at setting high standards for the group when John Humphries was kicked off the team by Murray for smoking at halftime. Meanwhile, Murray was engaged in what can only be called an "experimental" stage of his life. Luke Grinder played as a young phenom.
1992 Players Pub Strikers
1992 brought several new players into the fold including Joe Sawada, Wade MacPherson, Spilly Benson, Levi Cooperman and Cory Pearson.
1993 Strikers
This was a noteworthy year as the team, like Notre Dame football, became "independent" with no sponsorship (a nod to the current independent, and self sustaining nature of the LWO). New members to join included Casey Sedgeman and Chris McDonald.
1994 Livewire Lighting
Troy Taillefer, Brad Young, and Brent Koskimaki, were added to the roster and contributed to the first tourney championship. This success at an early age laid the foundation for the high expectations that the LWO has as a club. This group was a pack of seeds that would soon germinate and grow into a mighty dynasty in the SMSL. Glynne Green was added to the tourney roster as a veteran pickup.
1995 Livewire Lightning
Old School was added as a full time player and Stu Scherk and Mike Beckner were also added to the mix. This season was noteworthy for the "team yellow" that the group received vs Revelstoke on Sunday June 22.
1996 Livewire Lightning
In what can only be considered a major coup, the Livewire Lightning manage to sign Dave McPhate. A noteworthy event during this season was the team party that Spilly's mom hosted on the eve of the league title game, and the championship parade that (almost) followed.
1997 Livewire Lightning
Mike Young adds his energy and insanity.
SOMEWHERE AROUND HERE THE LIGHTNING'S 50+ GAME UNBEATEN STREAK IN ALL COMPETITIONS COMES TO AN END.
1999 Livewire Lightning
Back to back titles for the LWO's third tourney championship.
2002 LWO
Brett Poulis and Levi Cooperman join the LWO. By the early 2000s many of the LWO were no longer participating in the SMSL and therefore the August Long tourney became the only time the team played together. After a couple of poor results in the tourney, the LWO has its first, and last, annual AGM. After downing a texas mickey of rye all issues are resolved and a famous photo is taken to capture the moment (scroll up to the top of the page to see it).
2003 LWO
Robbie Nall, and Mat Lebel come for a trip to the interior. And Sean Fogarty, after performing as solid as a rock in the SMSL, gets the nod as an LWO member.
2004 LWO
Ricky Humphries and Ron Ellis are given a yellow crayon and a napkin.
2005 LWO
After the core of the talented Williams Lake team mosey into the sunset of their playing years, relative youngster Ben Stanchfield joins the LWO. Mike Perry and Jordan Haas also join the list of Bays United alumni to don the famous yellow jersey and are invited to add their respective good looks and dry wit to the mighty LWO.
2006 LWO
Kelly Sherman and Keith Whitehead join the LWO and contribute to a fourth championship.
2007 LWO
Rory Fogarty joins his "brrrrrrra" on the LWO roster. Eric Vivien decides he wants to roll with the big dogs.
2008 LWO
Grant Gustafson, after years of toiling in the Williams Lake summer league, decides he wants to play with a good looking and charming group of chaps who can compliment his talents.
2009 LWO
Sam Jager and Jer Roberg add some youthful exuberance to the squad.
2010 LWO Soccer Legends is Founded
The LWO soccer Legends make their first appearance at Vernon. Highlights included Spilly and the popcorn banana, Suzie Beckner doing a Stuntman, and pre-game introductions. Oh yeah, they played soccer too.
2012 LWO Legends Of HOckey is founded
The LWO enters a tOurney in the "rec" side, gets put in the "cOmpetative" division and puLLs Off a tOurney victOry. That's hOW Legends rOll.
2013 LWO Legends Of HOckey win back to back tOurnies
The Legends of HOckey get sWeet jersies and dOminate. 30+ gOaLs fOr, 2 gOaLs against.
2013 o35 Legends win the Vernon tourney with a 4-0 record.
The 2014 LWO Legends of Hockey heroically battle against the tourney organizers, Shitsberry, and all odds to finish 2nd in the Salmon Arm Tourney.