SARNIA – “Being the underdogs, people always overlook us, so we’re going to give them something to talk about and make sure they pay attention.”
Those were the closing words from Lambton Lions striker Aaran Pollock (Sarnia, Ont.; 3rd Year) when talking about the upcoming debut for the Lions in Indoor Soccer. Friday, January 24th marks Lambton’s debut in Indoor Soccer, and to say the team is chomping at the bit to get going would be an understatement.
Lambton will take part in the Indoor Soccer Royal Cup, hosted by Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ontario. Their first of three guaranteed contests in the single-day tournament is against the Mohawk Mountaineers at 9:50 a.m.. The Lions also face the host Redeemer Royals and the George Brown Huskies in Pool A play. The top teams from each pool will meet for the championship.
After years of struggles and missed playoff opportunities on the soccer field, the men’s soccer team changed the narrative during the 2019 season. Pollock and the rest of the team clinched their first playoff spot in 25 years this past fall, posting a 3-5-1 record in the regular season to finish in 6th spot in the OCAA West Division standings.
They needed to wait until their final game of the regular season before securing their spot, but a 3-2 win over the visiting St. Clair Saints sent the Lions’ bench into a frenzy, as their hard work on the field this season carried them into the post-season.
Lambton won their last two games of the regular season, controlling their own destiny and sending them into the post-season riding a wave of momentum that the program hadn’t seen in quite some time.
While a loss to the Durham Lords followed in the Crossover Game, Pollock is hoping that the Lions can carry their momentum from Outdoor Soccer into the Indoor Soccer season.
“We’re very excited to go into this tournament, considering it’s the first Indoor Soccer game for Lambton College,” said Pollock. “The work put in, it’s been 100% from all of the guys that have shown up, and there’s nothing more you can ask for.”
“Speaking for myself and everyone on the team, we’re pumped up.”
Lambton’s roster for Men’s Indoor Soccer will have a high level of familiarity to it, as all 14 players on the roster were part of the Lions’ Outdoor Soccer team in the fall. Headlined by the likes of Pollock, wing Tyler Girardin (Dutton, Ont; 2nd Year), goalkeeper Ky Duong (Sarnia Ont.; 1st Year), and OCAA West Division Second Team All-Star Mitchell McAuley (Petrolia, Ont.; 1st Year), among others, the Lambton roster is full of talent.
That familiarity with one another is something that Pollock views as a key factor for the Lions heading into their first tournament.
“The team culture we have here is nothing like I’ve ever been a part of while playing soccer,” continued Pollock. “I don’t know if it’s the maturity level or how much we love playing soccer, but everything together is fantastic and it really has an impact when we’re out there playing.”
“I feel like the positivity surrounding this team is something that you just can’t mess with.”
From a recruitment standpoint, adding Indoor Soccer to the mix will help the Lions build a stronger product year-round, helping to keep the Lions in playoff contention for years to come.
“The best teams that we’ve played against get to play together year-round,” said Pollock. “We’ve competed against the National Champions (Durham), and we’ve competed against previous National Champions. If you look at those teams, they play year-round together. In my opinion, I believe that for the benefit of the soccer programs at Lambton College, being able to play together year-round is going to benefit anyone whose part of the team because you get to build that team chemistry.”
“There’s continuous improvement, the work ethic remains high, and I feel that it’s likely to bring success to the soccer programs at Lambton.”
With minimal time to train for the upcoming Indoor Soccer season, the Lions gave themselves a boost with the construction of their roster. The team chemistry that the 14 players on the roster already have with one another will put them in a similar position to that of other teams from across the conference.
Team chemistry aside, there will be some challenges with the transition from Outdoor to Indoor Soccer for the Lions. The game is played on a smaller field and with less players per side. Played at a quicker pace, Pollock compared Indoor Soccer to a sport that most are more familiar with.
Hockey.
“From watching previous Gold Medal games, I feel like the way teams play is similar to hockey,” explained Pollock. “It’s five on five with a goalie. It’s possess the ball, cycle the ball around, find an open shot, shoot and then switch around. It’s very fast-paced but you also need to use your head.”
“The transition is definitely going to be a challenge for us, but the guys we’re playing with will be up to the task. We’re going to impress some people.”
The Indoor Soccer Royal Cup provides the Lions with yet another opportunity to turn some heads in the soccer community and across the OCAA.
After years of disappointing results on the soccer field, the Lions turned the page in 2019 and changed the narrative surrounding the soccer program. The energy on the team was at an all-time high, and the Lions want to build on that foundation as the indoor season gets underway.
Up and down the roster, there’s a common goal for every player on the team.
Win.
“When you look at the people we’re going to be playing with, these guys want to win,” said Pollock. “We’re coming in there on the heels of a good outdoor season, and they’re playing because they want to win.”
“All of our motivation is to play soccer for Lambton College and win.”
For the Lions, entering their first-ever Indoor Soccer tournament is an exciting time. The soccer programs are on the rise at Lambton College due to the Men’s program ending their two-plus decade playoff drought in the fall. Fueled with motivation and a high level of anticipation to see what’s next for the program, the Lions are eager to take to the turf on January 24th.
Still, the Lions feel they are in a similar situation to what they were before. Constantly overlooked and underappreciated, the Lions will set out to earn their respect.
“Pay attention to Lambton because we have quality players that come through this program,” concluded Pollock. “We have a good team that can play high quality soccer and play well together.”
Lambton has embraced the underdog role when it comes to soccer, but they’re ready to force more people to pay attention.