The GSSC (Greater Sudbury Soccer Club) Impact 17U boys are beginning to surge.

Considering the rather grim outlook three months ago this time, that is very much reason to celebrate.

“A week before our first game in the CSL (Central Soccer League), I almost pulled the plug,” confessed head coach Nick Walker, his team coming off back to back shutout wins over Wexford (8-0) and FC Emery (2-0).

“We were really struggling to find players. Some players were really busy with their high-school season – everything was up in the air. We were able to pull everything together, grabbing a few other players from Sudbury who haven’t played with us before, and we’ve had a good steady 16 players for our last month or so.”

“It’s been a good turnaround.”

In fact, there are a couple of turning points for the Impact 17U season that is only slightly past the midway point. Dropping four of their first five games, albeit matched against most of the toughest opponents in the seven team loop, the locals benefitted from a three week break in the schedule, extending from mid-June to early July.

“We put in a lot of work on the training ground at practice,” said Walker. “We really wanted to take advantage of that time. We had lots of work to do on playing out of the back, changing our shape when we win the ball or lose the ball. We changed our play style a bit.”

“Before, we were a bit hesitant to play out of the back,” noted Walker. “Teams would press us higher up the field and when we would lose the ball, we would usually get scored on. But we’re kind of blessed in the sense that a lot of our defenders are very good technical players. Now, it’s all about passing and moving and supporting our players with the ball.”

“Whenever one of our defenders is on the ball, they usually have at least two options and that’s the key to playing out of the back.”

More importantly, it works.

Beaten 6-1 by FC Emery last summer, the Impact rebounded in a big way as goals from Finn Gould and Ousama Quarqouz provided more than enough cushion for keeper Matthew Bodnar to register is second straight clean sheet.

Really emerging as a top end keeper in the loop, Bodnar is thankful not only for the addition of the new talent this year and last, but also with what they bring to the table. “We realize that they’re not going to be the next Lionel Messi – but we need them to at least hold their own,” noted the 17 year-old grade 12 student at St Benedict Catholic Secondary School.

“I think the players that we’ve brought in this year can definitely do that.”

For his part, of course, there was progress needed as well, even as the group endured the challenges of lacking in both practice and game experience during the pandemic. “The biggest improvement for me is how much better I command my box and how I’m a lot more fearless now,” said Bodnar.

“Back then, I couldn’t be as aggressive coming out against one on ones or crosses, but now I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable. I haven’t mastered it yet and I definitely still have room to improve there.”

Like most keepers, this wasn’t his first stop on the pitch, though it didn’t take long for Bodnar to call the net his home. “When I was coming up with the grass roots, I liked to play winger and in the centre and midfield,” he said. “As I played more soccer, I really that I enjoyed playing in net a lot more and decided that goalie was the position for me.”

“It’s a unique position,” Bodnar continued. “You could let in a goal that costs your team the game or you can make a big save and your team wins the game. You really have a lot of power in deciding the outcome of a game – and I like that.”

The Impact U17 boys are off this weekend but anxiously awaiting an out of town adventure on the August long weekend, participating in the Champions Showcase Tournament in Ottawa. “It gives these guys a lot of college exposure; they’ve been itching for that this year,” stated Walker.

Rounding out the 2022 Impact 17U boys roster are Braydon Ethier-Perras, Nathan Cranston, Oscar Kunkar, Malik Olanrewaju, Nick McGee, Mattheus Sousa, Blake Rosener, Michael Nazaruk, Carter Grenier, Tyler Thibodeau, Alex King, Bryan Ocampo Perez and Ryan Sekkat.

If you’re going to try battling it out in the provincial competitive soccer ranks with just 13 bodies, you had better have 13 very dedicated individuals on hand.

With the Impact U17 girls team, coach Connor Vande Weghe has exactly that.

“Quite honestly, this is a really really good group of players; I couldn’t ask for anything more out of them,” said the former Laurentian Voyageurs keeper.

After having to adjust their mindset midway through their YRSL (York Regional Soccer League) qualifying schedule this spring/summer – more on that in a second – the Sudbury teens have now reeled off back to back Ontario Cup victories, preparing to face Glen Shields Juventus on Sunday with a berth in the quarter-finals on the line.

One of the countless teams across the province dealing with the introduction of the new Ontario Soccer I-Model, the GSSC reps were initially under the impression that they would not advance to the Competitive I division of the new stream – only to realize that the could – and did.

With injuries and limited numbers creating some hindrances along the way, Vande Weghe ensured that his squad had a very good understanding of exactly what he wanted to see from a strategic point of view.

“At the beginning of this season, we talked about how we wanted to play,” he said. “We’re more possession based. The opportunity to play more direct, more over the top is always there. But we’re also going to give ourselves a chance to break a team down by passing through them, by dribbling through them.”

A 3-1 win over Darlington Energy in the second round of Ontario Cup last Sunday offered a shining example of what he wants to see. While talented striker Kiara Levac still accounted for all three goals – she has been an offensive force with this crew since day one – Vande Weghe insisted that it would be unfair not to mention both Kiana Levac and Sydney Coe at the same time.

“Both of them provided incredible through balls after a team build up and then she (Kiara) does what she does,” he said. Throw in key contributions from the likes of Alyssa Oystrick and Taylor St Onge and one has the makings of a team that believes it can definitely compete with impressive formations from all corners of the province.

“They’re not going to be the superstars of the team but they’ve done everything that we’ve asked of them, focusing on the simple things,” said Vande Weghe. “They’ve been given expanded roles and have really taken advantage of them.”

Other Impact results last week included victories by both the U14 and U15 lads. The elders stopped NDSC (Nipissing District Soccer Club) Lakers 5-1 on goals from Max Paquet (2), Ibrahim Najem, Andre Sousa and Mohammad Alramadan while the younger squad earned a split in CSL play.

The locals tripled Armour Heights 3-1 as Dylan Nelson paced the attack with a two goal effort, while Donald Munyua added a solo strike. Kaden Wicklander was a force on the back end and Maks Beljo stabilized the midfield, allowing the northerners to produce a total team effort in the win.