Red Deer Polytechnic Kings determined for another futsal run in 2026
If the Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) Kings' first exhibition game of the 2026 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) season is any indication of how the campaign will go, the Kings appear poised to be a formidable contender. Their commanding 8-0 victory over the Olds College of Agriculture & Technology Broncos on January 17 has set the stage for what could be and exciting and promising futsal season.
Mahziar Peyrow, RDP Kings Futsal Head Coach, is quick to highlight the qualities that fueled his team's explosive start.
"The Kings are quick on their feet and they dig for balls. They are physical and don't give up," he explains. "They play with a lot of togetherness and there's a good vibe."
That sense of unity will be carried by 13 members of the 2025 Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Soccer team, featuring Ibukunoluwa Oyawale (Bachelor of Arts in Psychology), Valentine Dumec (Open Studies), Emmett Kenwell (Bachelor of Business Administration), Kohen Meckelborg (Bachelor of Business Administration), Njegos Bajovic (Open Studies), Suhas Lanerolle (Academic Upgrading), Liam Parsons (Open Studies), Mikito Funase (Academic Upgrading), Skipper Martin (Bachelor of Kinesiology), Owen McMahon (Bachelor of Education), Korben Skjolde (Bachelor of Kinesiology), Garrett Flett (Bachelor of Business Administration) and Dylan Godbout (Business Diploma).
As the 2026 ACAC Futsal season approaches, Peyrow emphasizes that the players' commitment extends well beyond formal scheduled practice sessions.
"The Kings are taking responsibility of their team," he says. "They are putting in extra work to help develop themselves."
This self-driven approach was evident early, as the student-athletes began preparing nearly a month before the holiday break and returned to training promptly on January 5.
With that level of dedication, the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings have their sights set on hardware once again. After ranking near the top of the league in 2025, the team is eager to build on that success.
"The Kings finished with a bronze medal in 2025," Peyrow notes. "It would be nice to make the ACAC Championship and earn another medal this year."
As a member of the Northwest Division, the RDP Kings will open the season on January 31 and February 1, facing division rivals the Concordia University Thunder, NAIT Ooks and Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves in Grande Prairie. From there, the Kings will turn their attention to the final stretch of the regular season, with three pivotal matchups awaiting them on February 21 and 22.
The top two teams from each of the Northwest, Northeast (Keyano College, Lakeland College, Portage College and The King's University) and South (Medicine Hat College, Ambrose University, SAIT and Lethbridge Polytechnic) Divisions, along with two wildcard teams, will advance to the ACAC Men's Futsal Championship. This event will be hosted by the Medicine Hat College Rattlers from March 20-22, 2026.
Lanerolle (8)