Capers kick off training camp Saturday

Returning players and team hopefuls will head to CBU on Saturday as the two Atlantic University Sport squads open their annual training camp.

“We have quite a few returning players from last year’s team but there will be some new faces in the lineup this year too,” said men’s head coach Robbie Chiasson. “That’s always exciting. Once players get here we’ll get an idea of who’s making an impression.”

 Chiasson is inviting any CBU student who would like to try out for the men’s soccer team to attend registration at 10 a.m., Saturday.

“We have a two- or three-day selection process where we have open tryouts for any students that are registered at CBU,” said Chiasson. “I’m expecting in the range of 30 to 35 in total, there might be a few more. Quite a few local players will be trying out this year.”

Many people are taking notice of the CBU men’s team after it finished third at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championships last year, said Chiasson.

“A third place finish at national championships, that was our most successful accomplishment at the national level ever,” said Chiasson. “Other teams, as usual, will have their eye on us. We’ve become sort of accustom to that but I mean with success comes pressure and you have to sort of adapt to that.”

Chiasson expects to whittle down the roster to a final 20 players by Wednesday. On Thursday, the team heads to Prince Edward Island to play in the Mulligan Cup tournament against the University of Prince Edward Island and Mount Allison University.

The men’s Capers begin their regular season play with two games Sept. 8-9 against Memorial University in St. John’s, N.L.  

Women’s team coach Stephen (Ness) Timmons said their training camp will focus on its 16 returning players and five new recruits. An open tryout will be held Labour Day weekend.

Atlantic University Sport teams are only allowed to open their camps 14 days before the start of the season, according to league rules.

“We usually go two practices a day,” said Timmons. “We are going on a trip up the Cabot Trail, kind of a team bonding trip, midway through. But for the most part it’s two practices a day until Labour Day weekend and then we host two exhibition games.”

There will be two exhibition games at home, incluing at 3 p.m. on Sept. 1, against Acadia University and then on Sept. 3, at 2 p.m. against St. FX University.

On Sept. 8, the CBU women will play their season opener against Memorial University in Newfoundland.

“I think the Capers women’s program is established now and I guess we’re always on the hunt to win the title,” said Timmons. “The program has a good reputation. I think when the girls come in they put a little pressure on themselves to carry the flag, so to speak.”

Last year, the CBU women’s squad lost in the AUS semifinal 1-0 to UPEI. Dalhousie University later defeated UPEI to win the AUS title.  

The women’s squad was put in the national spotlight in 2007, when it became the first CBU team to win gold at a national championship, which was held in New Waterford.

The women’s soccer team will host the AUS championship, which takes place Nov. 2-4.