First-year players aren't usually first-team all-stars. But, Prince George's Sarah Gomes didn't match the typical description of a rookie.
The 17-year-old Gomes wasn't stuck on the sidelines, watching her more experienced teammates try to win games. Instead, she was a starter for the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women's soccer team. And, whenever she was on the field, her maturity and poise were obvious to all observers.
As a sweeper, Gomes was a stabilizing force on TRU's back line and someone coach Tom McManus could always count on to make the proper play.
"She's such a smart defender," McManus told The Citizen. "She really organized my defence. One of my co-captains was playing right in front of her and she was still taking control and just playing perfectly. She got our defenders moving and closing people down. She did everything just right."
Gomes, a graduate of Duchess Park secondary, was the only TRU player to land on the women's first all-star team in the B.C. Colleges Athletic Association. All-stars were revealed prior to the BCCAA provincial championship tournament, Oct. 29-31 in Surrey.
Gomes got the news via text message from teammate Abbey McAuley.
"I was shocked," Gomes said from Kamloops, home base of the WolfPack.
"It's great. It really makes me feel like I'm being appreciated on the team and my hard work is paying off. Overall, my first year playing on the TRU team has been a great experience."
For Gomes, the transition from youth and high school soccer to the post-secondary level was silky-smooth. She was helped greatly by her involvement in Prince George's Pro Touch Soccer Academy, where she received training from Sipho Sibiya. Gomes said Sibiya -- who at the time was head technical coach for the Prince George Youth Soccer Association -- was similar to McManus in coaching style and approach to the game.
McManus first scouted Gomes when she was a Grade 11 player at Duchess. He mistakenly thought she was in her Grade 12 year.
"When I found out she was only Grade 11, I went, 'Wow!'" McManus said. "So I was very happy to be able to get her last year."
Because of the leadership qualities Gomes exhibits on and off the field, McManus sees her as a future TRU captain.
"That could even happen next year," McManus said. "I could have her as a junior captain."
The WolfPack had two other Duchess Park graduates -- first-year forward Laura Smylie and fourth-year midfielder Ashley Piggot -- in their lineup this season and they were also major contributors. Despite a couple injury problems that limited her availability, Smylie fired a team-leading seven goals in 10 games and tied for third place in league scoring. Piggot, meanwhile, provided the WolfPack with offensive flair and defensive awareness.
TRU battled to a 3-6-3 record during the regular schedule. With that mark, the WolfPack took the third and final playoff berth in Group A of the BCCAA. In playoffs, TRU lost its opening game, 3-1 to eventual silver-medalist Langara College.
With the building blocks that are in place, Gomes is anticipating a bright future for the WolfPack.
"I hope to go further within the provincials and maybe even make it into the nationals with our team," said Gomes, who is studying sciences at TRU.
"We were a young team this year so I think next year we'll know what to expect and progress from there."
