All that was achieved last year – the program’s first provincial banner, the team and individual hardware – is old news.
The focus now is on the here and now for the Douglas College women’s soccer team.
The squad that blanked Vancouver Island 2-0 to capture the program’s first-ever PacWest crown and went on to finish fourth at the Canadian Collegiate nationals, is in transition.
But head coach Chris Laxton said its a transition which should still see them competing for that top-of-the-table experience.
“We have several new faces at every position, so this is a young team,” Laxton said of the squad, which is still in the midst of some tough roster decisions.
“We lost players everywhere, but the biggest challenge is that the core of this team knows only success. The players who’ve graduated kind of grew through the rough times and grew to learn how to win.”
Winning isn’t a bad framework to build around, but the test comes when adversity rears its ugly head.
Last year’s leaders faced that gauntlet during their three- or four-years in Royal green.
Although two-time PacWest MVP Marni McMillan, all-star Danae Harding and Kelsey Acaster have all moved on, Laxton feels confident that the players returning, and new recruits, will be able to bond well for the journey ahead.
“I think an area of strength for us will be that we will be a bit more diverse,” he noted. “We relied on Danae and Marni a lot, they had the ability to dominate and set the tone... Now we will rely on a more all-hands-on approach that could be more dangerous.”
The leadership mantle has been handed over to returnees Samantha Kell and Michelle Wessa, two players who bring a lot of exhuberance and experience to the pitch.
“Michelle was our unsung hero last season, really,” said Laxton. “She was a big part of it in the defensive midfield role, and while she wasn’t in the spotlight, when she was on, we were on; when she was off, we were off.
“I can’t tell you what position Sam is going to fill (but) where ever she’s slotted she’ll be an impact player.”
The defence will also lean on sophomores Sarah Strelau and Naomi Noda, the latter from New Westminster.
“(Strelau) will be a key player on our backline, while this is a big year for (Noda),” Laxton said. “We’ve seen a lot of development from her over the winter and spring and feel she’s ready to take on a bigger role.”
Coquitlam’s Andrea Perrotta, in the middle, and Surrey striker Mikayla Hamilton will shoulder a lot of the offensive responsibilities in the context of a well-rounded approach.
To replace starting keeper Rebecca Mainardi, Laxton recruited Chantalle Bracken from the defunct.Kwantlen program, and has two others vying for the position.
Wearing the ‘defending champion’ badge will only put Douglas in the crosshairs for every game; but it’s a nice spot to be in.
“It adds a challege for myself and the program that we’re not use to. I don’t know if it fazes the players much... I’m not feeling any more pressure. (The players) all want to perform and the pressure to win is just a starting point,” said the coach.
In that vein, Laxton has mapped out a busy preseason route for the Royals, with a series of games.
This past week they took on a touring squad from NCAA Div. 3, Pennsylvania’s Haverford College, and prevailed 3-0, before preparing for a twin-bill this weekend against SFU on Friday and in Whatcom County on Sunday.
The regular season begins Sept. 7 when Douglas hosts Langara at Coquitlam Town Centre Park.
