The inevitability of university sports is that student-athletes only last for between three and five years, depending on eligibility, their particular course or a variety of other things.
Unfortunately, that’s the current case for the Nipissing Lakers women’s soccer team, who is losing three key players to graduation.
And while that’s natural and something the program will have to deal with, Lakers head coach David Bitonti isn’t feeling sorry for himself, instead, he’s being proactive and finding players to fill those vacant spots on the roster.
The Lakers have signed two players; striker Erika Brennan from the Woodbridge Strikers and central defender, Andrea Dermott from the Erin Mills Eagles.
Bitonti likes the skill level of both athletes and is looking for them to come to the team ready to make an immediate impact.
“We are coming off a year that has seen a lot of young kids forced into action early on which was positive in exposing them to OUA soccer in gaining experience and building their skill set," said Bitonti in a release.
"These two signings definitely fill some holes and will add depth to the team especially at the back and top ends of our lineup. One thing that stands out with both Erika and Andrea is their size and strength. Both girls are very strong on the ball and thrive on one-versus-one battles in attacking and defending situations.
“Erika will more than just complement our attacking core. She brings a tremendous compete level and desire to win. She will be encouraged to utilize her strong technical abilities to take on defenders and create goal scoring opportunities for herself and the team. Andrea is a shut-down defender with ideal size and speed. I especially like how she positions herself in one-on-one situations which make her difficult to get behind. I expect Andrea to factor into our back line early in the season.”
Brennan, a native of Brampton, Ontario is already looking forward to hitting the field with her new teammates and is excited about the challenge ahead of her.
“I’m very excited to join the Lakers and compete at the university level. It has always been my dream,” she said. “I look forward to the change of intensity and play at this level.”
Brennan, a skilled forward explained that she is always ready to give it her all, regardless of the opponent, the score or the situation.
“I would describe myself as a very passionate, aggressive player with great vision,” she noted. “My competitive nature during games always shows, as I give 110 per cent. Losing is never an option.”
Brennan has been part of teams that have claimed the West Niagara Invitational Provincial championship in 2011, the Hangar March Break Classic championship in 2012 and 2013 and both the Robbie Showcase and CGSL League Cup championship in 2014.
Brennan knows it will be tough to adapt right away and admits to expecting a bit of an adjustment period, but she said at the end of the day, her goals for the season are pretty simple.
“I expect to grow as a player and be able to contribute positively to the program. I want to become a strong asset to the team,” she said.
On top of adding to the offence of the team, the Lakers have also added to their backline, bringing in Dermott, who is an accomplished centre defender.
The Milton, Ontario native is looking forward to making the jump to the Lakers and taking her skills to the next level, competing against the best the province has to offer.
“I am very excited to be a student-athlete at Nipissing. Nipissing was my first number one choice for schooling, so to be able to call myself a Laker makes me ecstatic and overjoyed,” she said.
One of the most important traits of a defender – in any sport – but in particular soccer, is being in control of every situation and staying calm, even if there’s pressure on.
Dermott said she feels she has the ability to remain cool under pressure and that will help her transition to the OUA.
“I play fast, strong, physical, I’m a team player and I play with composure,” she said.
The 17-year-old, who will actually turn 18 on April 26, received an athletic award in 2014 for being a committed and enthusiastic Senior athlete. This past season, she was a member of the Bishop Reding Senior Girls Soccer OFSAA AAAA qualifying team and OFSAA AAAA Silver Medalist team in 2013. On top of that, she was awarded the Junior Female Athlete Award and Junior Letter Award in 2013. And to cap it off, she received Most Valuable Contributor for Junior Soccer in 2012.
All of those accolades add up to Dermott being prepared for join the Lakers.
Dermott is enrolled in the BPHE program, hoping to one day become a teacher. She said the goals she has for herself and her team are pretty simple, but if they can be accomplished, it’s going to go a long way both individually and for the program.
“The expectations I have for the team are for us to work well together, play smart soccer and work hard to be the best we can be,” she explained.
“I plan on being a positive contributor to the team and continue to improve my skills as a soccer player.”
Bitonti said the skill level of the two new recruits is great, but their attitudes are equally as impressive and that’s going to go a long way in helping the program improve.
He said he’s already looking forward to seeing his lineup on the field and is excited about the future.
“As a coaching staff, we are very happy with the core group that is returning along with adding players to the roster that can play at this level make us stronger. The announcement of Brennan and Dermott is just the beginning,” Bitonti said. “Last year was an unfortunate season with the number of injuries that forced key players out of the lineup. It’s nice to see that we have recovered and it’s behind us now. With healthy bodies ready to compete once again and the addition of key recruits, we are excited about the ability to assemble a solid team.”
