Niagara soccer stars shine at Team Ontario selection camp
Sophie Costantini is one of several local athletes who was invited to the Ontario Soccer Provincial Xcel Screening Competition last month. Photo: SPECIAL TO BPSN.
For many multi-sport athletes, there comes a time when you have to choose. Is it going to be hockey, dance, tennis or soccer?
For 16-year-old Scarlett Steele, this year was decision time.
“I stopped dancing (at age nine) and continued with hockey and soccer,” she said. “This year, I stopped hockey. It was hard but I’m seeing bigger opportunities with soccer and I’m starting to see my efforts pay off.”
Her recent hard work culminated in an invitation to the Ontario Soccer Provincial Xcel Screening Competition earlier in March. The Grade 10 E.L. Crossley student joined nine other Ontario Player Development League (OPDL) players from the Niagara Falls Soccer Club at the provincial tryouts. Steele is a goalkeeper for the U17 Girls OPDL squad.
This is the second time the Wainfleet resident has been invited to try out for Team Ontario. However, two years ago, she was unable to attend because of a vacation conflict. Team Ontario is expected to be announced shortly.
If Steele makes the roster, training begins at the end of April, and Team Ontario will take on Team Quebec in a series of matches over the May long weekend. At the May tournament, Canada Soccer Excel Technical Staff will scout players for potential invitations to Canada Soccer National Excel events.
While they might be “enemies” on the pitch, everyone at the provincial tryouts was vying to be teammates, Steele said.
“It’s so cool. It’s so different. These are the best of the best competitors and all the girls are there for the same reason. It was nice to meet girls that are playing against you.”
Steele was joined at the selection camp by her teammate Sophie Costantini, a Grade 10 student at Holy Cross school in St. Catharines, who, like Steele, started playing in the OPDL at age 13.
“I love how (soccer) makes me feel. I’m happy when I’m playing,” said the 16-year-old right back. “It gets my mind off things. I’ve always had a love of soccer. It’s always held a special place in my heart.”
This year also marked Costantini’s second invitation to the provincial tryouts. Her first also came two years ago, when she was 14. She said she was surprised to get an invitation this year because when players were scouted last season, she was just 15—playing for the U17 team.
“I’m proud of myself to get noticed and I worked hard playing with the girls who were two years older than me,” she said. “I felt like I wasn’t going to get noticed because they were older, but I worked hard for what I wanted to do.”
Costantini said she was nervous at the tryouts because of the event’s high skill level. But she said it was a very organized and professionally-run event.
“When you get picked you have to work even harder to show why you got chosen. If you don’t work as hard, you’re not going to stand out,” she said. “Last time I went, I wish I had trained more, worked harder for that goal. I didn’t prepare myself enough for it. I did better—I worked harder—this time.”
U17 OPDL coach Sam Paterson said once a player is connected to the provincial stream, more opportunities open up for them.
“It’s a great thing to put on your resume, and for when a player is out there promoting themselves to universities. It’s certainly an eye-catcher and it makes a coach think, ‘I need to look at this kid,’” he said.
Paterson said whether a player is selected or not, the experience will reward them with self-confidence and affirmation that this is the place they should be.
“Whether they’re recognized or not, the discipline being asked to participate at that level, these are life skills they’re going to take with them,” he said.
Other OPDL players in Niagara invited to the Ontario Provincial Xcel Screening Competition include: U14 boys Sami Nezli (striker) and Xavier Nicolazzo (attacking midfielder); U15 girls goalkeeper and U14 Girls 2023 Provincial Xcel Team member Maggie Bell; U15 boys Gianluca Arghittu (striker); U16 boys goalkeeper and U15 Boys 2023 Provincial Xcel Team member Liam Armstrong; and U17 boys Matthew Schirru (striker).
Two members of the current OPDL U14 Girls Sophie Vaughan (centre midfield) and Adelaide Dearborn (striker) will attend the provincial tryouts on April 6. For U14-16, selected players join two Ontario teams that compete against each other on the May long weekend.
Vaughan, a Grade 8 student at Parnell Public School, played with the St. Catharines Jets for several years prior to moving up to the OPDL last year.
“I’m really excited (about the provincial tryouts). I’m happy to have gotten the opportunity. I’m a little nervous but I’m more excited than nervous,” she said.
After playing five seasons with the St. Catharines Jets, Adelaide Dearborn joined the OPDL last year when she decided to stop playing basketball and Ninja Warrior.
“I decided I would stick with soccer but it was hard to say goodbye to my old sports,” said the Pinegrove Elementary Grade 8 student.
Dearborn said what she likes about soccer is the bonds a player is able to create with teammates.
“I love the way it teaches you learning skills about life, such as hard work, determination and dedication,” she said.
“I want to go as far with soccer as I can and inspire some more people to play sports. I’m really appreciative of the club. They’ve (provided) a lot of opportunities for training and preparation for us. As for this opportunity, I’m very appreciative of that.”
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