Women’s soccer breakdown with Chris Laxton
By Davie Wong, Sports Reporter
It has been an eventful year for Chris Laxton and his team. Their successes this year included holding the best regular season record in their conference, having one of their players take home the conference MVP award, winning the provincial playoffs, and attending the national tournament and claiming fourth. The Other Press had a chance to sit down and talk with Laxton about the year.
How did you feel about your team’s performance at Nationals this year?
I thought we showed ourselves very well. The best team was the best team but the next three positions could’ve been interchangeable. We’re disappointed that we didn’t bring back medals but considering the scale of everything, we’re happy with the way we performed. I think we represented the college and PACWEST well.
It’s the first time that your team has made the national contest; how does that feel?
Making Nationals was a great moment for myself and the team, especially for the players that have been around for 3-5 years. Together, we went from a bottom-of-the-table team in PACWEST to being a National contender. It was also a good chance for the first- and second-year players to see that the amount of work the veteran players put into the sport pays off. If there’s a positive to not winning anything, it that those first and second years are now hungry to go back.
What are your thoughts on the season as a whole?
I thought the season as a whole was very positive. We were up against a lot of challenges and we rose up to meet them. We had many wonderful performances from many players. It was great season.
Were there any doubts about the outcome of this season?
I think we [the team] all expected to end the year at Nationals. Once we got to Provincials I saw a very calm and contained group—a group that knew what was ahead of them ahead of them.
What are your thoughts on making history with the team this year?
It was exciting. It was something we spoke of last year but we didn’t quite get there. Last year was about making history, but this year was about leaving a legacy. We have a banner to hang somewhere and we have a trophy to put in the trophy case.
When I got to Douglas College, the first thing I noticed was the trophy case. There was not much to show for the women’s soccer team. So our goal was to begin the process of filling it up.
Do you think you can continuing filling that trophy case in the coming year?
I think we can. The first- and second-year players had great role models. It will be a challenge for sure but I think with the belief that we can do it and hard work, we can continue to build our trophy collection.
What were some key points to your season?
We scored lots and we kept the ball out of our net. Our goal at the beginning of the season was to score at least two goals a game; we did that. We only allowed 10 goals in the entire season.
Any final comments?
I just want to take a moment to thank the students and athletes that have supported us throughout our season. When we were in Peterborough (Nationals’ location), we would check our phones before and after the game and be bombarded with all the positive support. It really went a long way, so thank you.