With three star players graduating from the men’s soccer program, the Clan naturally had some roster spots to fill. Midfielder Josh Bennett, who recently tried out with the MLS’s San Jose Earthquake, along with defenders Carson Gill and Anthony DiNicolo, leave the Clan on a high note. The team had an incredible 2011 season, and truly were the toast of the NCAA Division II. Fortunately, the team is deep enough to withstand the loss of three prominent players and has a strong enough foundation to be a force for the foreseeable future. Of course, that starts with strong recruiting, and the Clan hope their four new recruits will help continue that trend.
Simon Cohen, Colin Jacques, Gilbert Kyne, and Tristan Wallis-Mayer are all high-end talents, and all local products.
“It is very rare for us in this day and age to find four elite players like this in our own backyard,” said head coach Alan Koch. “As is consistent with our recruiting over the years we look local first before looking at any foreign talent.” It helps when the local talent is good enough to play on the best team in the league.
Cohen, a goaltender, joins a deep pool of keepers that will no doubt have much to teach him as he develops into a potential starter. That said, Koch says he already has many characteristics that cannot be taught.
“Simon has a lot of intangibles that you cannot teach. His desire and his height are major attributes in his position,” he said. “He is fortunate that he is coming into a very healthy goalkeeping situation. He will be able to learn from our senior keepers this coming season and I am confident that he will become the number one goalkeeper for us at some stage in his career at SFU.”
By that time, two of the other recruits might just be carrying the team offensively. Jacques is an explosive forward with big play capability, and can tear up opposing defenses. The dynamic striker is complimented nicely by well-rounded fellow forward Kyne, and together they could grow into a force up front. As Koch puts it, they possess a “great combination of flair and strength to add to our potent goal-scoring game,” and given SFU’s already-lethal attack, the two should have plenty of material to learn from.
And while those two work their way into the Clan’s offense, Wallis-Mayer will be given his chance to grow into an anchor on the Clan’s backend. Wallis-Mayer, a lightning-quick fullback from West Vancouver, comes to SFU with no shortage of accolades. Having been a member of the B.C. provisional team twice, he has
big-game experience, which could prove valuable when playoffs become an option for the Clan.
Despite having three key players leaving the system, the Clan still sport few, if any, holes throughout their roster. Four freshmen might not see the field all too much, but it’s still a great time to be a Clan recruit. Right now, they have a great opportunity to learn from their peers that comprise the reigning number-one team in the NCAA Division II. That, coupled with four local talents, could mean the Clan will
stay in that spot for quite
some time.
