There was a time when talk of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s soccer team contending for a title might get you laughed off campus. That time is long gone.
“My first year, it wasn’t exactly the goal. Well it was, but it wasn’t necessarily a reality,” said fifth-year midfielder Mitch Bauche. “But this year, having done it two years ago, we can really focus on that.”
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The Huskies have been competing in the Canada West conference since its inception prior to the 1971 season, but it wasn’t until 1999 that they made their first playoff appearance.
They qualfied for the post-season just once more over the next decade. But since 2010, the Huskies have made the playoffs in every season but one, and in 2014 they won their first Canada West championship. These days there’s a different attitude around the pitch.
The Huskies are no longer satisfied with simply making the playoffs, so as the 2016 campaign begins Chapman’s message to his team – quite literally – is simple.
“If we do simple things in a good manner or do simple things very well then you’re going to put yourself in a position to win games in this league,” he said. “Complicating a simple game doesn’t get you very far.”
Saskatchewan has every reason to believe it can contend for another conference banner this season. For starters, they’ve got their top four scorers back, including midfielder Marcello Gonzalez, who tied for the team lead with five goals as a rookie in 2015.
“Obviously I want to do better than last year. I want to improve. I think it was five goals, three assists, something like that last year so I want to see if I can do a little bit better than that,” Gonzalez said.
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The Dogs also have steady leadership, with midfielder Mitch Bauche set to inherit the captain’s armband from the departed Garrett Peters.
“It’s a big responsibility. I know I’ve seen a lot of great captains in my four previous years so I’m excited for it and I just hope I can help out the guys in whatever way I can,” Bauche said.
The Huskies will face a stiff test right out of the gate, visiting the Calgary Dinos Wednesday, who were undefeated at home last season. But once again, the philosophy of simplicity will be key.
“The more simple you keep it then it allows you to play your game and just focus on ourselves rather than all the other factors,” Bauche said.
It’s an approach the Huskies hope will help keep their new, winning tradition alive.