OLDS — Olds College Broncos soccer and futsal coach Allan Siwela’s talents have been recognized at the provincial level and could soon be recognized at the national level.
During a season-ending banquet in Lethbridge on Oct. 27, Siwela was named the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) 2022-23 South Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year.
He is also the ACAC’s nominee for CCAA Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year, which will be presented at the 2022 CCAA Men’s Soccer National Championship, to be hosted by Langara College in Vancouver.
Originally from Harare, Zimbabwe, Siwela took over the Broncos men’s and women’s soccer and futsal programs after serving as an assistant coach (2017-18, 2021) with the Medicine Hat College Rattlers, where he was previously a CCAA All-Canadian in 2011-12.
Siwela also played with the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns for two seasons before returning to Medicine Hat to complete his playing eligibility.
“Under Siwela’s tutelage, while abiding by the coaching foundation of Trust, Leadership, and Commitment (TLC), the Broncos have undergone a significant transformation,” an ACAC news release says.
The team finished third in the ACAC south division with a 4-2-4 regular season record while conceding just 10 goals, good for the third-lowest mark in the conference prior to being eliminated in the ACAC South play-in match Oct. 25.
The Broncos conceded one fewer goal than they did in the six-game 2021-22 regular season.
“Allan has been a tremendous addition to our men's and women's soccer program,” Olds College athletics manager Trina Radcliffe said in the release.
“As a first year head coach in the ACAC, he has exceeded expectations on and off the field.
“His players and colleagues have tremendous respect for the impact he has had on the competitiveness, development and growth of our programs.”
