On Oct. 21 the graduating players of the St. Thomas women’s Soccer team were honoured for their achievements and dedication to the program before kickoff of the last game of the regular season.
The graduating Tommies led the team to their fifth win with a 7-0 blowout against the Crandall University Chargers, ensuring their spot in the ACAA playoffs.
The Tommies men’s soccer team also saw success in an 11-0 win on senior night against Crandall, earning them a first place finish in the ACAA standings.
Every year the women’s soccer team shows appreciation for its graduating players by having the rest of the team organize a celebration before the game. This year’s festivities included speeches, decorating the dressing room and a presentation on the field.
Senior Jazmyne McLaughlin reflected on her time as a Tommie saying that it was a “perfect end” to her soccer career. The wing back from Fredericton spent four years in the green and gold, playing over 30 games.
McLaughlin’s advice to players looking to continue athletics into university is to make sure to maintain both sides of being a student athlete.
“Remembering that you’re an athlete but also a student as well, so make sure your filling your bucket in both areas.”
While finishing a sporting career may be daunting, McLaughlin is set on continuing her education in a joint social work and law degree. She aims to work in sectors where people’s voices are often underrepresented.
Her teammates were “on cloud nine” during her last game as a Tommie, in their dominant performance.
“Ending on that high note going into playoffs was a great boost of confidence,” she said.
Eight players were honoured during the celebration, including Lauren Erb, Abby Cameron, Emma Langile, McLaughlin, Laura Horsley, Cierra Meredith, Sydney Conrad and Hannah Tran.
Fifth-year and captain Abby Cameron said her time with the Tommies was “fun, exciting and challenging.”
Cameron is a wing from Fredericton, who will be continuing her education with a masters degree after graduation.
As for the campus side of being a Tommie, Cameron stated her happiness with her experience as a student athlete at St. Thomas.
“I’ve had nothing but good experiences with my classmates, teammates and professors.”
It was a bit of a different year for Cameron, as an older captain of a young team, but according to her, they came together really well, making the season “super enjoyable”.
Cameron scored the seventh and final goal for the Tommies on Saturday, in her final regular season game. She helped seal the victory in a must-win game in hopes for a playoff opportunity.
Both McLaughlin and Cameron said this final win secured their focus on their next goal — playoffs.
“We know we have the talent and drive to win it all, we just need to get out there and show everyone what we’ve got,” said Cameron.
