Elijah Le brings quality and experience to Caper men’s soccer

By Corey LeBlanc

(Sydney, NS) - Elijah Le admits his travels in Canada have been limited.

"I have never really been out of Ontario," he says, with a hearty laugh.

That will soon change for the native of Vaughan, Ontario, with a move to the Maritimes coming by the end of the summer; plenty of Cape Breton hospitality awaits the student-athlete. In late August, the 21-year-old will kick off his first training camp with the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers men's soccer program.

Donning the familiar Caper orange will usher in the latest chapter of what has been an accomplished career on the pitch.

"I can't remember when I didn't love the game," Le – who started playing house league as a four-year-old – says.

He notes it wasn't long before he realized that he had talent for the sport.

"It is hard to put into words, but I always had a feeling that I was a little bit better [than most of his contemporaries], so I ran with it," Le adds.

To help foster that idea, he notes, "I immediately started to take things seriously."

By the time he was 10, Le was taking the pitch with the Toronto Football Club (TFC). He was 17 when he joined the Vaughan Soccer Club (VSC). His association with TFC – including its Canadian Premier League (CPL) club – continues.

"Playing in such a competitive environment, you are forced to get better – in a way," Le offers of how the past decade competing at a high level – with athletes who are as good, or better, than him – has benefitted his development.

He adds, "You are training hard and you really have to push yourself."

Whenever he takes the field – whether for practice or a game – "I am totally focused."

And, as importantly, his soccer career has "always been so much fun."

By the time he was finishing high school, Le had a decision to make regarding his academic and athletic future at the post-secondary level. Patrice Gheisar – his head coach and mentor with VSC – encouraged him to consider an opportunity south of the border. So, the fall after his graduation, Le took his talents to Texas, where he suited up for the Houston Christian University (HCU) Huskies of the NCAA.

In 2019, his freshman campaign, he was only one of four Huskies to take the field in all 18 matches, including 14 starts and nine in which he played every minute. He also excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-WAC (Western Athletic Conference) honours. As a junior – in his final season at the NCAA school – Le started every match while recording a team-high 1.643 minutes played.

"I was looking for a new, bigger challenge," he says of his decision to leave the Huskies' program, where he notes he had gotten "quite comfortable."

Looking to continue his varsity career back in Canada, Le pinpointed the Capers; he was attracted by the quality coaches and players who are and have been part of the perennial contenders.

"I think it is a perfect fit for me," he offers.

CBU head coach Deano Morley agrees.

"Everyone with our program is looking forward to working with him," the Caper mentor says, while describing his latest recruit as "grounded and level-headed."

Describing him as "brilliant," Morley adds, "Elijah reads the game really well."

He also praises Le's vision and ability to "break the line."

When asked to talk about the strengths of his game, Le offers, "My ability to read the game – offensively and defensively."

He notes that playing midfielder when he was younger has benefitted his strong performance as a center back.

"I am also able to keep calm under pressure," Le adds, which is a tremendous asset for anyone playing on the back line.

Morley thinks Le will help continue the Caper tradition of being "very good in the back."

"We expect him to come in fit, ready to learn and compete," he says, describing him as a "big asset."

Morley anticipates that Le will compete for a starting spot with CBU, winners of the past six Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men's soccer banners.

"This is a significant signing," he says.

Morley adds, "Elijah brings leadership, composure, technical competence, and a champion's appetite, combined with significant experience [to our program].

"That's what attracted me to him."

Le joins a strong recruiting class for the Capers; one that includes Sebastian Cochrane, who he played with at HCU. In younger days, they also took the pitch as teammates with Athletico Club in the Toronto region.

Le, who says he is "really excited" about kicking off his Caper experience, will balance his athletic pursuits with sport leadership studies in CBU's Bachelor of Community Studies program.

"Winning it all," he says of his goals to helping his new program not only win another AUS crown, but also vie for the 2023 national championship.

CBU Athletics and the Capers, who won gold in 2017, will host the 2023 U SPORTS Men's Soccer Championship tournament this fall at Ness Timmons Field on the school's campus in Sydney. 

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