ACAC recruits among new faces as Griffins hit preseason
Jefferson Hagen / MacEwan Athletics
Training camp lessons will be put into action on Friday afternoon as the MacEwan University Griffins men's soccer squad hits the pitch in Calgary for their first action of the preseason.
Armed with a roster of many newcomers, head coach Adam Loga and his staff have been preparing the lads at camp since Aug. 1, but on Friday, they'll face Thompson Rivers University as part of a mini-exhibition tournament at Mount Royal University.
"There's a lot of new faces in and around the 18, so it's getting used to each other and getting in sync," said Loga. "It's also for us to evaluate them as players – evaluate the systems we're using and make tactical adjustments moving forward, being just two weeks away from conference start.
"It will be very important for us. It will be enjoyable. It will be nice to get out there sooner rather than later and get this season going."
The Griffins will also face Lethbridge on Saturday as they kick preparations into high gear for the lid-lifter on the Canada West campaign – Aug. 26 at the University of Calgary.
Loga currently has 10 freshmen on the roster, so the learning curve has been large so far. But he's happy with the progression.
"It's looking OK. It's progressed and I think that's the important thing," he said. "We've progressed well – the standard has risen, which is always what coaches want to see. The professionalism within the group has risen.
"There's competition now for spots," he added. "You need to compete to get better. You're only as good as your opposition in some cases and when you're training every day, you need that opposition. I like to think we've made that step forward to have it."
Among the new recruits is a trio of players who starred in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference last season. Loga is banking on them having an impact in the Canada West ranks, too, as the Griffins try to improve upon a 2-11-3 record last season.
Sean Douglas is set to bring a veteran presence to MacEwan's back four as he heads into his fourth season of university eligibility out of Grande Prairie Regional College, where he also played volleyball.
"He just has some maturity as a human being, which always helps our young group," said Loga of the 6-foot-1 centre-back. "Again, just bringing that humility and humbleness that experience brings to the table both on and, most importantly, off the park."
And on the pitch, Douglas – who led the Wolves in scoring, even from a defensive position, the past two seasons – has a volleyball leaping ability that translates well to the soccer field, too.
"He's pacey, he's athletic, can jump through the roof," said Loga. "He'll be in our 18 and will make an immediate impact as our centre back. He brings pace in our back four, which is something we've needed and wanted to fill in, coming into this season."
King's University all-time leading scorer Curtis Schick brings plenty of potential from the ACAC as well after being named the Eagles' MVP in 2016. He led the team with three goals and 20 shots in nine games last season a year after producing the best offensive season in King's men's soccer history with six tallies in 10 games in 2015.
"Curtis Schick brings some size up front," said Loga. "He's proven to have a goal-scoring touch at the ACAC level, so why not see what he can do here at the Canada West level?
"Give him the opportunity and let him run with it."
After all, goals were hard to come by for the Griffins in 2016 – as they scored a league-low 12 in 16 games.
Zibusiso Moyo should also help in that area. The wing back, also out of King's University, led the Eagles in game-winning goals last season (2). He brings athleticism to the table in a bid to help the Griffins get better.
"He's pacey, he'll get up the line for us. And he's clever," said Loga. "He can play at this standard, for sure. We believe it and I think he believes it, too. He just has to show it.
"I think he'll come in and be an impact guy for us – he'll be involved in our 18 going forward. But again, when it's all said and done, he's got to go do it."
