Huskies to face Dinos

“I’m happy with where we are at right now,” said Chapman. “I think it was a bit of an unknown after coming out of 20 months of not playing competitive football and just training. To sit 3-1 after four matches, we are pleased. The big thing right now is adding to our game each day.”

There was no playbook for Chapman and his coaching staff on keeping their players prepared for the unknown – both physically and mentally – over the past 20 months as the pandemic shut down USports activities.

“I have to give these guys credit – they were pretty dialed in throughout the past 20 months,” he said. “It started in the off-season when they were diligent with their training and stayed connected as a group.”

Moving out of the pandemic by getting players vaccinated and training again was critical, but so was playing competitively again. The team played six pre-season games against non-conference teams to prep for the season.

“We’ve had a long pre-season and we did that on purpose because we knew there would be a lot of unknowns and a lot of re-teachings of routines, habits, and expectations,” said Chapman.

Due to the pandemic shutting down action, the team has two rookie classes debuting this season. The age differences are just one factor in play, but Chapman has relied on his small veteran core to help collaborate and deliver the message they are trying to send this year.

“I have to give a lot of credit to our leadership group, they have done a fantastic job,” said Chapman. “I’ve leaned on them a lot to see where our group is at on a daily basis, and they’ve done a lot of leg work on pulling this group together.”

One of those veteran leaders is fifth-year midfielder Tobias Hyrich-Krueger, who serves as captain with fellow midfielder Kwame Opoku-Addai this season.

“It’s bittersweet to be back on the pitch, especially for me, with it being my last year. I was at a stage where I wasn’t even sure if I was going to have a final year, so I am over the moon and enjoying every second of being back on the pitch,” said Hyrich-Kreuger. “Everyone is feeling the same way. They’ve been COVID starved from the competition. We are just revving to go.”

Bringing their game back to the basics and keeping things simple was the approach this season and Hyrich-Krueger believes that methodology has helped this team off to a quick start, something they hope to continue through their schedule.

“We wanted to have a nice progression back into game play,” he said. “I think having so many pre-season games really helped us get to where we are.”

With the ultimate goal of being at the top of their division and claiming the Canada West title, the Huskies know they have a lot to prove.

“We want to win Canada West,” said Hyrich-Krueger. “Especially with COVID and the squad we’ve built over the last two years, we have ambitious goals, and we have the potential to do it. But potential is just potential if we can’t get there.”

The road to the playoffs continues against the Dinos – an opponent Hyrich-Krueger is excited to face off against at home.

“We aren’t going to play their game when they are coming to our house,” he said. “This is our house, our field, and we will have people behind us.”

by Katie Brickman-Young

Huskies to face Dinos

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