Mens soccer looks to build off of big 2016-17 campaign

Winning the bronze at the Ontario College Athletics Association championship, and a gold in indoor soccer in March, the men’s soccer program has momentum heading into the start of the season.

Richard Kirwan, the team’s assistant coach noted that success on the field has been helping to bring more talent to the squad.

“With those kinds of results you get kids coming out of high school that want to go to George Brown because the program finished third, you get a little more leverage,” he said.

While the program’s success on the field is impressing new students, Kirwan said that one of the most impressive scores for the team has been veteran striker Jerome Baker.

The 25-year-old, whose birthday is the day before the Huskies season opener  on Sept. 9 against Conestoga, is returning to play in Canada after playing professionally in Singapore.

The women’s team had a rougher season last year, going 2-8. But head coach John Williams is focused on what the team can control, their fitness. Williams felt that the team contended for the first half of their games but faded in the second.

Williams added that the team has made some quality additions, and, like the men’s outdoor team, is focusing on playing a possession game.

“I think for somebody that understands and appreciates the game they know what we’re trying to get accomplished,” Williams said. “It’s easy to kick the ball and just run after it, but that’s not who I am or the philosophy I believe in.”

Baseball

The Huskies baseball team will look to improve off of a tough 1-19 season last year. With this being the first season with veteran coach, Tom Valcke, there is reason to believe that the team will be stronger.

The Huskies might be playing against teams that have more talent, but Valcke is pledging a work-ethic and mentality that will make the team more competitive.

“We will not get out-hustled, out-energized and we will minimize our mental errors,” he said.

Valcke has been hard at work recruiting players and raising the team’s profile with George Brown students. His efforts have included two mini-camps in June and July, and tabling sessions at Casa Loma ahead of the team’s August and September tryouts.

“I know we’ve improved, I know we’re going to play with a new very aggressive style,” Valcke said.

Cross-Country Running

The 2016 season was an unusual one for the Huskies cross-country team.

“For the first time in my 11-years coaching the team we had a completely new roster of athletes as the entire 2015 team graduated,” said coach Michael Lavigne in an email.

This year, returning runners Angelee Weathers, Jack Huang and Branden Thorburn are joined by some experienced new recruits, including Loreto Gajardo who competed for Chile in the 2015 Pan Am games.

This year the Huskies have their sights set on competing at the nationals for the eleventh straight year.

Last season, Leanne Sanders finished 38th at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championships.