Varsity soccer season in full swing
There are many teams on the Brantford campus. Soccer is among the few varsity sports on this campus. There is both a men’s and women’s team for indoor soccer. Varsity soccer on the Brantford campus plays at the college level and belongs to the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA).
The season is progressing as the winter term in underway. There are two upcoming tournaments for both the men’s and the women’s teams. One taking place in the middle of the month (Wednesday, Feb. 11) and the second in the beginning of March (Wednesday, Mar. 4). Both tournaments will take place at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughn. The Laurier community wishes the teams good luck.
Like many other team sports, the teams need to be able to work together and have one another’s back. Without cohesive groups, teams cannot be successful.
A few accounts from current players like Ayden Carr, a fourth-year criminology and psychology student and defensive player, “The team’s always close. It’s kind of like a family.” “It’s fun playing with this group of guys,” Todd Pearson, third-year history student, Captain and midfield player states.
Jasmina Carbonelli, fourth-year health administration student and midfield player said, “[There are] lasting friendships for sure. I still stay in contact with a lot of, previous teammates, throughout the years.”
While the outcomes of tournaments have not always been on the side of Laurier’s teams, none of the players have given up hope. The Captain of the men’s team expressed, there is nothing to lose so they will try their best. Each game is an opportunity to learn and that is just what they plan on doing.
“If we could have one game that’s like competitive, kind of like the last couple years, we always have one game where we tie or we almost win or that. If we got one game like that again and then the other two games, at least keep it interesting, I think that would be a success,” Carr said. “We do have a very tough group…. We’re honestly just looking to get as much points as we can, like to try and take away points from them, just to kind of shock them a little bit,” Pearson stated.
Lessons learned through sports can translate to real life as well. Student athletes need to be able to manage time and focus, with lots to accomplish on-the-go. Keeping track of everyone on a field while also working towards getting a goal is not an easy task. “It’s just like a lot of co-ordination, time management, scheduling. Those are all life skills I’ve developed through this,” Carbonelli said.
Skill sets like this can help people off the field in situations like working in a group for class or with co-workers at a place of employment. Varsity teams, such as soccer, are a large time commitment. Time management is always a good skill that student athletes acquire through their years of study.
Image by: Nick N | Lead Photographer
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