One of the biggest storylines this year for the men’s soccer team is how they will replace the void Jovan Blagojevic left. He scored 18 goals in 18 games last year, and was named GNAC player of the year before being drafted by the Vancouver Whitecaps. He was the undisputed star of the team. But now, SFU looks like they have another up and coming talent on their hands: Mamadi Camara.
“I was six years old [when I started playing soccer],” explains Camara, who grew up in Quebec. “I played for a local team in Montreal [. . .] I played there for two or three years, then I transferred to a team in Southshore, who had coaches, and better insulations.
“[As a kid] we use to play in the park right next to our house with kids from different ages. We would just play with the ball, no real net. It was just fun.”
A few years later, he was heading on to play soccer at the postsecondary level, but Mamadi almost ended up not going to Simon Fraser.
“I was supposed to go to Southern New Hampshire last year. However, it didn’t work out, for various reasons. So this past summer, I emailed Clint [Schneider . . .] I told him, ‘I’m still looking for a school, and if you have room for a scholarship, I would be interested.’ I had been in contact with him earlier in the year, so he replied to me right away and said we still have some scholarship money, because one of the players that was suppose to join the team didn’t get into the school. . . So I sent my transcript really quickly, and he responded in two days, saying that I was accepted into the school of communication.
“[What attracted me to SFU] is the fact that it’s the only Canadian School in the NCAA,” Camara says. “It’s kind of cool when you go down to the United States and you represent one whole country. . . I also really like the environment here. I came to Vancouver once when I was 14 years old for Nationals, and I really liked it. You’re surrounded by mountains and trees.”
“Pressure is what drives me [. . .] when I have more pressure, I think I perform better.”
So, does representing an entire country give extra motivation? “Definitely,” he says. “It’s something that comes up really often in the speech from the coach. He always reminds us that we are representing Canada, and we must be good when we go down there. And we have a really good program. . . we’re one of the most respected programs in Division II. It’s cool that this program is from Canada.”
Some freshmen struggle for playing time on a new team, but not Camara. He has quickly become an integral part of the team, starting nearly every game, which is rare for a freshman.
“I think the coaches are really looking forward to put the best 11 out there. So if you don’t give them a choice, they’re going to put you on the field. That’s my mentality. If you want to be a starter, you just need to work hard enough so you can prove to the coach and to everyone else that you deserve your place on the field.”
He also has a strong support network around him that has helped him get integrated quickly. “I’m fortunate to live with three other guys that have a lot of experience. Robert Hyams, who is in third year, Shane Sharma, who’s a senior, and Calvin Opperman, who’s a junior. These guys really helped me to really sort out my classes, get the best schedule I could, and give me some advice.
“We have help from our teammates in this team. It’s really good.”
Being so early on in his Simon Fraser career, this support has paid dividends for Camara, who won GNAC offensive player of the week for October 8. He scored three goals in two matches, both of which were game-winners.
“It felt good to see that your efforts are rewarded when you work for it,” says Camara. “However, that’s only one little title. I would be more pleased to win the NCAA title with my team than to win any other individual title.”
That NCAA title didn’t seem very likely at the beginning of the season, but the team is now firmly back in the race for the GNAC title and a potential postseason run. “The way we started this season is not the way we expected,” says Camara. “It was a tough start at Sonoma, losing 3–1 [. . .] I think we are just starting to get more confident, and building towards our goal, which is to win the NCAA title.”
As a freshman, Camara has already established himself as a key component of the team, and perhaps the future star player of the team. For his part, he himself seems up to the added pressure of being a more integral part of the team, and filling the void left from the departed Jovan.
“Pressure is what drives me [. . .] when I have more pressure, I think I perform better. It may be a bit more pressure, but I like it.”
