Pursuit is a sports feature series highlighting athletes, coaches, and staff and significant sporting events from North Bay and the surrounding area.
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When the final whistle sounded in Kingston at the end of October, not only did it mark the end of the game between the Nipissing Lakers and Queen’s Gaels, but it also marked the end of the OUA career of midfielder Avery Duguay, a senior with the team who has played four seasons at Nipissing.
“No athlete anticipates when their collegiate career is over. It's been really awesome. I have nothing but positive things to say about my university soccer experience," says Duguay.
The finish for Duguay in Kingston was a semi-final playoff matchup between the Lakers and the Gaels, resulting in a 2-1 victory for the top-ranked Gaels who had lost just one game all season. They had lost just one regular season game since October 2021, until six days earlier when the Gaels were in town for the regular season finale against the Lakers.
“It was absolutely electric. I think everyone was buzzing the whole time,” says Duguay. “There are those moments you experience when your team is on their game and everything works out as it should. That was the energy that was going on the field that day.”
The Lakers needed a win to at least secure themselves in the top four of the OUA East division, which would also give them home-field advantage for their first playoff game. But it wasn’t going to be easy against a Gaels team that came into the contest with a 10-0-1 record on the year, conceding just one goal up to that point all season.
“We had a really strong performance against Ottawa (the number one team in the OUA who finished 11-0-1) the day before and knew what we needed to fix in those little details. If we could do that we could come out and be even better than we were the day before,” says Duguay.
It was also seniors' night and a lot of friends and family, including those of Duguay, were in attendance.
“There was a lot of emotions on the line for a lot of our girls, including myself. We had a really great ceremony, and our stands were filled and that energy and support and love that we felt from the crowd was fueling our motivation and our ability to play that game,” she says.
The Lakers were down 1-0 after the first half, but captain Cassidy Brooks tied the game in the 61st minute, then scored again in the 80th minute to secure the victory and stun the Gaels.
“Finishing the game with a big win in front of our parents and friends on seniors night was really magical. We were thrilled with the results after that. I think it was one of my favourite games this season and one of my most memorable moments because I got to just reflect on my entire career here.”
The Lakers would go on to host a playoff game against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, a game they won 3-1, with the game-tying goal coming off the foot of Jess Emmerton that was set up by Duguay feeding a ball from midfield through several defenders to get it to Emmerton.
“Those playoff games are exciting to play in and have a lot of emotion and you're hoping and praying that you're going to do well,” says Duguay.
“We went down a goal and the whole time we knew that we were going to come back with the result. It's strictly about belief. You must believe in those moments that you are the better team and that you are going to win and you're going to get the result and you have to come out with this strong mentality that no matter what happens, including going down a goal in a playoff game at home, that we're going to do what needs to be done to get the job done and that's exactly what happened in the second-half.”
Duguay's journey began in Thunder Bay, Ont., where her passion for soccer was nurtured under the guidance of her father, a former varsity soccer player himself. "My dad put me in Timbits at the young age of five," she reminisces.
Soccer evolved from a casual activity into a profound passion that would drive her ambitions in life, balancing her aspirations of becoming a nurse with her love for the sport. “I had a little bit of a checklist when I was looking at post-secondary options and the checklist included a nursing program and a soccer program. Thankfully those things lined up here at Nipissing and I got into the nursing program and was recruited here by our coach, David Bitonti.”
Her collegiate soccer career at Nipissing was marked by highs and challenges, with the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the rhythm of competitive play. Reflecting on this tumultuous period, Duguay acknowledges the emotional rollercoaster it presented as there was uncertainty about their future and losing a year of eligibility. She says she and her team faced this head-on, relying on their camaraderie to weather the storm.
“In a team environment, you really rely on each other to get through your hardest moments on and off the field. I was in the middle of my degree and wondering if I would ever get to play again because no one knew how long the pandemic was going to last, especially after all the waves that we had. Throughout the pandemic, the girls got together virtually and then slowly at a distance on the field. We came out of it on the other side, hand in hand, trusting each other and knowing that we have a job to do for the seasons that are coming up before us.”
The adversity also did not shake Duguay's resolve to pursue nursing. If anything, it reinforced her admiration for healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, who exhibited unwavering dedication during challenging times. "The weaknesses and the flaws within the system were evident, but the strength and inspiration came from those nurses," she asserts. Witnessing their resilience during the pandemic further solidified her commitment to enter the healthcare sector. “The people who are still passionate about what they're doing and they're working through a pandemic, working through the scary events that are going on and knowing that they're exactly where they're meant to be. Knowing that there's a lot of great, strong people in the system right now who are guiding us into it and training us to be successful nurses in Ontario gives me a lot of hope.”
Duguay also fondly recalls the impactful words of her team captain, Cassidy Brooks who spoke a few choice words which Duguay says she carries with her into every challenge. "How do you handle hard?” says Duguay. “Every girl on our team would know these words. Cass just talked about doing hard things. Being an athlete is hard, being a student is hard and everyone's doing hard things and you're not unique in that sense. But you are unique in the way that you handle hard. That's where you can gain control of things in your life. Athletics, work, family. That’s where it starts. If you’re looking for advice on being a student-athlete at the university level, start there and lean on your supports and find a way that makes you handle hard well.”
As Duguay moves on to her post-academic career she can look back with fondness and knows her contributions to the team's success will not soon be forgotten.
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