With classes kicking into gear next week, the Olds College Broncos soccer teams have begun lacing up their boots and kicking around the balls.
With classes kicking into gear next week, the Olds College Broncos soccer teams have begun lacing up their boots and kicking around the balls.
The 2017 men's and women's teams hit the pitch last week for a training camp and their first exhibition games over the weekend, to work out the kinks before the regular season begins Sept. 9.
Both Broncos sides have added a local player to their rosters this year. The women signed OHS grad McKenna Tyson, a defender in the veterinary medical receptionist program.
The men's side picked up OHS grad Anthony Focker, a winger who will be studying business administration.
The Bronco women are coming off their best results ever in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference, where they finished third in the south division and ended last year with a trip to the conference championships.
When the dust settled, their regular season record stood at five wins and four losses – by comparison the women's team logged a total of two wins collectively over the previous four years in the ACAC.
"It was a good season in the end," said head coach Macky Singh. "We had three players – who are all returning – who were named in the ACAC All Conference all-star team."
Of those, one to watch is striker Jamie Flett, who scored 10 goals in regular season play last year, which ranked her fourth in the conference and 10th nationally.
Singh said they have strengthened the squad significantly in all areas this year, including adding goalkeeper Auslin McDaniel-Perrin, a transfer from Lakeland College.
The ACAC conference championships will be hosted by Olds College this season, a first for the Broncos, which will also automatically give them a playoff berth.
Singh said this year's initial goal for the women is to match last season's record, but they also have their sights set on a south division win, which would send them directly to the conference semifinals. That would put them just one win away from suiting up for the conference finals, which would also qualify them for a trip to nationals.
| # |
Name |
Hometown |
Position |
Year |
Program |
| 7 |
Kyla Bosomworth |
Carstairs, AB |
Winger |
1 |
Equine |
| 13 |
Rachel Brodie |
Christchurch, New Zeal. |
Midfielder |
3* |
Sports Management Diploma |
| 16 |
Cassidy Brown |
Red Deer, AB |
Winger |
2* |
Business Management |
| 8 |
Jamie Flett |
Winnipeg, MB |
Striker/Goalkeeper |
2* |
Open Studies |
| 15 |
Jasmine Flett |
Winnipeg, MB |
Centreback |
3* |
Sports Management Diploma |
| 10 |
Jessie Flett |
Winnipeg, MB |
Centreback |
2* |
Open Studies |
| 6 |
Hanna Forbes |
Chilliwack, BC |
Fullback |
1 |
Vet. Medical Receptionist |
| 14 |
Hillia Kobblah |
Accra, Ghana |
Defender/Midfielder |
1 |
Open Studies |
| 1 |
Auslin McDaniel-Perrin |
La Grange, OR, USA |
Goalkeeper |
3** |
Bachelor of Applied Science |
| 3 |
Kyra Mueller |
Chilliwack, BC |
Winger |
1* |
Animal Health Technology |
| 12 |
Cheyenne Pashko |
Sundre, AB |
Winger |
2* |
Business Management |
| 2 |
Meg Rogers |
Calgary, AB |
Fullback |
2* |
Animal Health Technology |
| 11 |
Raelene Sali |
Calgary, AB |
Fullback |
1 |
Open Studies |
| 17 |
McKenna Tyson |
Olds, AB |
Defender |
1 |
Vet. Medical Receptionist |
| 9 |
Allison Wheeler |
Chestermere, AB |
Midfielder |
3* |
Business Management |
* Returning player
** Transfer player
Singh said the men's program has been more challenging when it comes to recruiting, because the college demographics often tip toward a higher percentage of women.
"It's a building process," he said. "We finished on a high last year, with our last game of the season beating Red Deer 3-2, which was really exciting."
While it was their only win of the season, Singh said it's some momentum he hopes will keep them going. To that end, many of the returning players are key players in key positions, he said, who will be comfortable with the setup and systems put in place last year.
"Now we just have to continue that progression and make it consistent and be a lot more competitive," said Singh.
In addition, Singh said the men's side has a much stronger team than last year, adding some international manpower to the roster, including a third Brazilian player and a recruit from Nigeria.
"While result-wise … we can do better," he said, "I think each year we're more competitive, and I think this year is going to be in the right direction again."
As far as goals for this year, Singh said they hope to squeeze into third in the south division standings, behind powerhouses SAIT and Medicine Hat, while improving on last year's record with a few more positive results.
| # |
Name |
Hometown |
Position |
Year |
Program |
| 14 |
Dillan Bouma |
Ponoka, AB |
Midfielder |
1 |
Sports Management |
| 2 |
Anthony Focker |
Olds, AB |
Winger |
1 |
Business Administration |
| 18 |
Luiz Pedro Guimaraes |
Rio, Brazil |
Midfielder |
1 |
Open Studies |
| 6 |
Mason Hill |
Edmonton, AB |
Midfielder |
1 |
Open Studies |
| 12 |
Brendan Klassen |
Spruce Grove, AB |
Midfielder |
1 |
Agricultural Management |
| 10 |
Matt Lehouillier |
Lethbridge, AB |
Fullback |
3* |
Business Administration |
| 1 |
Kyle McDonald |
Calgary, AB |
Goalkeeper |
1 |
Open Studies |
| 11 |
Gerard Jacob McLarney |
Edmonton, AB |
Fullback/Winger |
1 |
Open Studies |
| 24 |
Julio Cesar Meirelles |
Rio, Brazil |
Goalkeeper |
3* |
Hospitality & Tourism |
| 17 |
Cameron Mohle |
Drayton, Ontario |
Centreback |
2* |
Agricultural Management |
| 4 |
Landon Murphy |
Cochrance, AB |
Midfielder |
1 |
Land & Water Resource Mngt. |
| 9 |
Thomas Nelson |
Edmonton, AB |
Striker |
1 |
Open Studies |
| 5 |
Tyler Nieuwland |
Ponoka, AB |
Winger |
2* |
Agricultural Management |
| 18 |
Derrick Osei |
Edmonton, AB |
Goalkeeper |
3* |
Heavy Equipment |
| 7 |
Abiodun Owolabi |
Lagos, Nigeria |
Striker |
1 |
Open Studies |
| 13 |
Daniel Ribeiro |
Rio, Brazil |
Striker/winger |
2* |
Business Administration |
| 15 |
Tobias Walch |
Shakespear, ON |
Defence |
2* |
Brewmaster |
* Returning player
** Transfer player
Singh said the Broncos' biggest rivalry is against Red Deer College, and it's starting to become a tradition to kick off against their neighbours to the north each year. Last year both Broncos teams lost to the Kings and Queens on home turf, but each managed to score their biggest victories in enemy territory – the men grabbing their only win of the season in their final game, and the women earning their spot in the conference championships.
The Broncos will play the Kings and Queens at home on Oct. 1.
| DATE |
HOME |
|
AWAY |
| AUG. 26 |
Olds College |
v. |
UofA-Augustana |
| SEP. 2 |
Olds College |
v. |
The King's University |
| SEP. 9 |
SAIT |
v. |
Olds College |
| SEP. 16 |
Red Deer College |
v. |
Olds College |
| SEP. 17 |
Lakeland College |
v. |
Olds College |
| SEP. 23 |
Olds College |
v. |
Medicine Hat College |
| SEP. 24 |
Lethbridge College |
v. |
Olds College |
| SEP. 30 |
Olds College |
v. |
Lakeland College |
| OCT. 1 |
Olds College |
v. |
Red Deer College |
| OCT. 14 |
Olds College |
v. |
SAIT |
| OCT. 21 |
Medicine Hat College |
v. |
Olds College |
| OCT. 22 |
Olds College |
v. |
Lethbridge College |
| |
|
|
|
| OCT. 27-29 |
ACAC Women’s Championship |
|
Olds College
|
| |
ACAC Men’s Championship |
|
NAIT
|
| NOV. 8-11 |
CCAA Nationals – Women |
|
Dalhousie Agricultural & University of King’s College
|
| |
CCAA Nationals – Men |
|
Vancouver Island University
|
"It was a good season in the end. We had three players ñ who are all returning ñ who were named in the ACAC All Conference all-star team."HEAD COACH MACKY SINGH
