OCN trio finds way with Cougars
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Rumor Nasecapow and Lexie Constant didn’t realize how much a Zone 11 soccer title would change their paths in life.
The centre-backs from Opaskwayak Cree Nation led Oscar Lathlin Collegiate to three straight clean sheets in the zone championship last year, earning a trip to Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association provincials.
The Wolverines lost their opener but beat the Neepawa Tigers 1-0 to reach the consolation final, catching the attention of Assiniboine College Cougars coach Manuel Luben, who signed them for the 2025 Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference season, along with midfielder Audrina Dreaver, also from OCN.
Assiniboine College midfielder Audrina Dreaver dribbles the ball against the Canadian Mennonite University Blazers during their MCAC women's soccer season opener at Cougars Field on Saturday. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
“It’s very exciting and I’m proud of them for making it this far with me,” Constant said after her first MCAC regular season game at Cougars Field on Saturday. “The change is really different, though, compared to back home.”
Added Dreaver: “I’m really grateful that I got the opportunity to come here and play because I’m from a small res community and being First Nations, you don’t really get all these opportunities.”
The Cougars lost the opener 3-1 to the Canadian Mennonite University Blazers, and then fell 10-0 to the Providence Pilots on Sunday.
Dreaver, who attended Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute in The Pas, said Luben scouted her last year during a scrimmage.
The trio had a unique introduction to competitive soccer. Without much organized play for youth, some of their first big events were Indigenous cash tournaments where teams from as far as Alberta drive in to compete.
Naturally, those games get intense.
“It’s really different. It’s really competitive and really brutal how they play … People throwing fists, it’s crazy,” Constant said, adding it’s not quite her style.
“We just play the game. We love playing the game and that’s it.”
Lexie Constant fires a shot during the first half of Assiniboine College’s first women's soccer game of the MCAC season. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
While AC was the perfect opportunity, the 550-kilometre drive south down Highway 10 for a major life change wasn’t necessarily easy to commit to.
“It was a very hard decision coming to school, changing from a small reserve to a city,” said Nasecapow, who enrolled in the health care aide program.
“Personally, I was very excited. Coming from Opaskwayak Cree Nation, it’s a big change for us, especially playing organized soccer. It’s pretty fun.”
Dreaver is in the social service worker program, while Constant signed up for the automotive technician program.
While schoolwork is ramping up, they quickly have their work cut out for them after falling to 0-2-0.
The Cougars are back in action against the St. Boniface Les Rouges in Winnipeg this Saturday and have Sunday off to rest up for a rare Wednesday evening match against the Brandon University Bobcats under the lights at Cougars Field on Sept. 17.
Assiniboine started trending in the right direction last futsal season, making the playoffs for the first time.
Rumor Nasecapow (14) caught the attention of Cougars women's soccer coach Manuel Luben after guiding her Oscar Lathlin Wolverines to high school provincials last year as the Zone 11 champions. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
Dreaver feels the team can come together quickly based on her first few weeks on board.
“They do a lot of team gatherings, we go out to eat and I feel very welcome,” Dreaver said. “I’m happy these girls wanted me, Lexie and Rumor to come play with them.”
» tfriesen@brandonsun.com
» Instagram: @thomasfriesen5