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Former Hapnot soccer standouts make mark in college

A trio of former Hapnot Collegiate soccer players are making their mark in Manitoba collegiate soccer.
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A trio of former Hapnot Collegiate soccer players are making their mark in Manitoba collegiate soccer.

The players, Travis Buick, Hasana Church and Tayler Kittle, were important parts of the Brandon University Bobcats mens’ and womens’ soccer teams this season. Both clubs wrapped up their seasons on Oct. 28, with each finishing second in the Manitoba Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC).

Out of the trio, Church is the most experienced player with the program. A sophomore forward, Church started each of the team’s first nine games. She said her main role is to promote strong team play, both offensively and defensively.

“My role has changed from my first year a bit. I play in the middle of the field and I start pretty much every game. My job is to be consistent – to perform, to keep talking with my teammates all the time,” she said.

Church started playing competitive soccer as a child in Flin Flon, before taking the sport more seriously as a teenager.

“When I was in Grade 4, my mom and some of my friends’ moms started coaching us, a bunch of my friends. We had a team that would go to Saskatoon for tournaments,” she said.

“I knew that I loved playing soccer. I’d go practice with the boys’ team. My parents helped me so much. We got a bag and a bunch of balls and I’d go to the field by myself all the time. I always loved watching high pro league soccer and stuff and I think I had a drive and knew this is what I wanted to do. No questions asked. I was going to make that happen.”

The women’s Bobcats side made it to the MCAC finals on Oct. 28 before losing 2-0 to the Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) Blazers.

On the mens’ team, both Buick and Kittle are in their first season with the Bobcats, but each brings more experience than your standard rookie. Buick, a pre-nursing student who plays as a defender, almost played with the team last season. A severe ankle injury ended his freshman season before he could play a game. Buick hit the field this year once the injury healed.

“I’m a defensive player. I try to stop everything that gets by as quick as I can. We play a 4-3-2, we’ve got four guys on the back end and we’re all solid. There aren’t many teams that can get past us,” he said.

“I’ve been playing quite a bit, so that’s awesome. We’re doing really well this year. Our team is strong, probably some of the best guys I’ll play with, to be honest. This regular season, we’re undefeated and I don’t think a BU team has done that.”

Kittle, a sophomore in the school’s physical education program, transferred into Brandon University from CMU, where he was one of two former Hapnot players with the school, joining women’s side star Janelle Wride. With his new school, Kittle has grappled with a different position and different formations, switching to a forward spot from the midfield.

“I’m in a brand new position with a new formation. It’s a bit different at times. I switched from being in the midfield to slotting in as a striker on the wing. It’s kind of different,” he said.

Heading into the league final weekend, the mens’ Bobcats were undefeated on the season, going 9-0-1. After beating St. Boniface 2-0 in the semi-final, the Bobcats took their first loss of the season, losing 1-0 to CMU, Kittle’s old team. Regardless of the loss, the team’s performance in the regular season has made Kittle hopeful for next season.

“I think the team is really good and the BU program really found its footing this year. Regarding our training, both off the pitch and on, we just have a really good all-around group,” he said.

While the team’s performance has been encouraging, Kittle has already looked into making the next step in his career. Earlier this year, Kittle went to the open tryout camp for Valour FC, the Winnipeg-based entrant in the brand new Canadian Premier League. He didn’t make the final cut, but made it through to the second day of the two-day camp.

“There was about 250 people and it ranged from players who had very little experience to players who were very good. I found I was right in the middle, about a six or seven out of 10 if I had to rate myself. There were other guys who were standout performers,” he said.

Looking back to Flin Flon, each of the three said growing up playing soccer in the north shaped the way they play. All three players were standout athletes in other sports as well – Kittle was a standout hockey goalie growing up, while both Buick and Church played important roles with Hapnot basketball teams.

“When I was in high school, every year, our team went to provincials. We always won zones. I think being able to work with what you have, taking the skill and talent you have and bringing it together, teamwork. That’s what I learned the most in Flin Flon. Working hard and working as a team,” said Church.

“All of the girls that come from cities, they play on competitive teams that play all year round. I think that changes the way you play almost, you start to play a game that’s more structured. Coming from a small community where the game wasn’t as structured, we got to be creative on the field. I think it made me more creative than somebody coming from a city who was told what to do in every situation.”

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