Return to the game they love: Newcomers lead Griffins into preseason opener

Nick Amico, left, and Zach Rochat have both returned to the game of soccer after taking time off from the sport they grew up playing. They're among more than a dozen newcomers on the Griffins this season (Jefferson Hagen photo).

Posted: Aug 10, 2018

Jefferson Hagen / MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – With an influx of more than a dozen newcomers, the MacEwan Griffins men's soccer team will be looking to get on the same page when they hit the road to Calgary for their preseason opener on Sunday against Mount Royal University (3 p.m.).

For some, like Nick Amico and Zach Rochat, it will be their first action in some time. Continuing a recent trend for the Griffins, the pair are both returning to the pitch after taking some time off from the sport they grew up playing.

Like current MacEwan teammates Christian Hernandez and Tyrell Leslie, who also returned to action after briefly leaving soccer, both Amico and Rochat were convinced to join the Griffins by head coach Adam Loga.

"Sometimes young athletes just get burned out," said Loga. "They need some time to relax and reflect and then they realize how much they miss the game.

"We're able to benefit from that as a program, but most importantly we give them an opportunity to play the game they love. We all love the game – our staff and players – and it's important to play when they can," he added. "We're happy to give them that opportunity."

Amico was a part of Edmonton's Juventus 2000s, who won a national U16 championship in 2016 before continuing his soccer upbringing with FC Edmonton Academy. Then, he briefly thought about switching sports.

"He quit for a bit, thinking he wanted to play football, but we convinced him to play this type of football instead," said Loga.

The Sherwood Park product brings a stocky gridiron build to the soccer pitch, which will bode well for his participation in the Griffins' back four this season. A wing-back, who Loga has designs on playing centre-back for the Griffins, Amico can stick in with physical forwards he'll match up against.

"I can't speak enough about his character," said Loga. "He's a great kid and I think that's what myself and the staff fell in love with the most. He will come in and make an impact for us; he distributes well from the back, is a big, physical body presence, which is something we've missed."

Rochat, who hails from St. Albert, played NCAA Div. III soccer for the University of Texas at Tyler in 2016-17 before ending up returning home last season, putting his sport on the shelf as he enrolled as a student at MacEwan University. But he and Loga talked about a return to the pitch, which became a reality earlier this summer.

"He fell out of love with the game a little bit," said the Griffins' head coach of the wing-back, who is also ticketed for a defensive role on the Griffins. "We were able to convince him to come back. He called me in the summer saying he wanted to give it another go.

"We're happy to have him. Zach's pacey and has a good physique. He's a strong player and is very good on the ball. He's very good at distributing and striking the ball. Both guys will come in and make us better."

Griffins rookie goalkeeper Hans Haagerup makes a diving save in front of attacker Christian Hernandez during a training session at Clarke Stadium on Friday (Jefferson Hagen photo).

The Griffins have officially been in training camp since Aug. 1, so a Sunday road trip to Calgary is just what the squad needs to take their progression to the next level.

"I think we just want to find some continuity and do some bonding," said Loga. "We're trying to get our chemistry right – what works, what doesn't, what may work. There's a lot of new faces, so the trip's going to help bond the lads.

"The biggest thing for us right now is getting them to be united as one. We have players from all over Western Canada, from Winnipeg to Comox, B.C., so it's important we gel."

The Griffins will continue their preseason slate on Aug. 17 with a visit to Edmonton ACAC school, The King's University College (6 p.m.) before hosting Canada West rival UNBC in a non-conference match Aug. 19 (3:30 p.m., Clarke Stadium) and visiting local ACAC school Concordia on Aug. 21 (6 p.m.).

MacEwan opens the Canada West regular season by hosting cross-town rival Alberta on Aug. 25 (Noon, Clarke Stadium).