CALGARY – On a team loaded with first and second year players, key veteran returnees to the 2008 men's Dinos soccer team should provide the leadership necessary for the group to take the next step in a very tight Canada West conference.
Returning to the Dinos after a one-year absence is exciting midfielder Carlos Cruz (5th, Calgary), the recipient of the 2005 CIS student-athlete community service award. After electing to sit out last season to focus on his studies, Cruz will bring back outstanding leadership and invaluable skill and speed to the Dinos this year.
Solid goalkeeper and team leader Rick Urbanczyk (5th, Calgary) also returns to the lineup after a brief sabbatical from the Dinos. Hardworking midfielder Lauren Ramos (Calgary) rounds out the trio of 5th year players, forming a solid veteran nucleus to help lead the team in 2008.
The Dinos are adding an international flavour to their lineup this year, with the addition of Joe Long. Long played for Team Bath in his native United Kingdom, and will provide a European competitiveness and skill level to the UC squad.
Coach Andy Gibbs hopes that these additions can help soften the blow of losing two valuable players, Matthew Deeprose, a first team Canada West All-Star fullback, and forward Ryan Holbrook.
“Matt and Ryan had competitive size for the physical Canada West conference,” said Gibbs. “This year's team will have fairly undeveloped size, which is something that we will need to work around.”
Coach Gibbs hopes to counter this lack of size with a full-on commitment to tightening up the Dinos' game, something they struggled with in 2007. The Dinos were only able to muster up 144 shot attempts compared to 239 from their opponents.
“We cannot play freestyle, open soccer,” he said. “We need to be disciplined. Minimizing goals against is a priority for us this season. We are lucky that goalkeeping is strength for us, and we need to use this to our advantage.”
With Canada West being arguably the most competitive soccer conference in the country, the Dinos will have no time to sit back and relax. They will need solid contributions from their younger players, with hopes that this will speed up their team developmental strategy.
The Dinos go out west to start the regular season, visiting the Fraser Valley Cascades and the defending Canada West champion Trinity Western Spartans Sept. 5-6. They return home Sept. 13-14 to face the Alberta Golden Bears and Saskatchewan Huskies in the home opening weekend at the West Varsity Soccer Pitch.
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