From provincial champions to divi- sion basement dwellers, the transition to the ranks of Canadian Interuniversity Sport hasn’t been easy for the TRU WolfPack’s soccer programs.
But, the Kamloops clubs showed enough promise in their inaugural seasons to leave their coaches eager for the future.
“I think, overall, I was fairly happy with the season in regards to the progress of a lot of players,” men’s head coach John Antulov said. “I understood going into the season it was going to be a tough go.”
The WolfPack men finished the season with a 2-8-2 record, picking up both victories and a tie in three of their final four matches.
Antulov said he spoke with Alan Errington, head coach of the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades, earlier this week about the WolfPack’s start.
The Cascades’ bench boss praised the Pack, noting that in his first season in the CIS, UFV “got hammered.”
“He said, ‘Put it into perspective. You got two wins, two ties, four other games were very close, so you should be happy with that,’” Antulov recalled.
On paper, the WolfPack has some work to do as the club gave up the second most goals in the Pacific division (24), while scoring the fewest markers (five).
But, the club should be able to learn from its first season in Canada’s elite ranks, as the vast majority of its players will return next season.
It’s a similar situation for TRU’s 1-10-1 women’s team, which scored nine goals (tied for the division’s fewest) while surrendering 25 markers (second-most).
“Obviously, it was not what we had hoped to get, but it was kind of what I expected, with the way the other teams were playing and everything, the physicality of it,” women’s head coach Tom McManus said.
The women, too, will return most of their roster, but will part ways with long-time starting goalkeeper Emily Edmundson and former Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association all-Canadian Bronwyn Crawford.
McManus said a scorer, as well as a keeper, will top his off- season recruiting wish list.
“It was a good year,” McManus said, echoing Antulov’s sentiments.
“I wasn’t thoroughly disappointed. [I was] disappointed because I hate losing, but it’s one of those things.
“We’ll regroup and be ready for next year.”
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