Talented Westman FC trio joins elite soccer program

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This article was published 10/10/2019 (2433 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Westman FC had its best under-14 girls soccer season in recent history this summer, drawing special attention from Manitoba’s Regional Excel Centre (REX).

Led by a talented 13-year-old trio of Mackenzie Boyes, Kendra Schram and Sydney Schram, the team went 8-5-3 in the Winnipeg Youth Soccer Association’s U14 Premier 1/U15 Premier 2 division. After one of their games, a scout from the REX asked them to play for the invite-only team.

Manitoba’s REX is one of eight of its kind in Canada, and trains players it feels are on the pathway to crack a youth national team. It’s quite an honour for the province’s best U13 to U18 players, and one that hasn’t accomplished by someone from western Manitoba since Danielle Rocan made what was then the girls’ Regional Training Centre team and Brandon University Bobcats men’s head coach Jesse Roziere was selected for the boys team — just over a decade ago.

It’s extra special for Rocan, as she has been coaching all three for the last two seasons.

“It has been awesome to see them even in the two years I have coached them how much more confident they have gotten, how much further they kick the ball, how much faster and tougher they have gotten, and they are winning games which is good,” Rocan said as her girls trained with the BU women’s team last week.

“They’re super competitive in practice about everything, even a fun game. They’re always trying to beat each other, they’re always working hard and, pushing themselves in everything they do, and push each other really.

“All the time they spend together talking about the game, analyzing what they can do better (makes them better).”

Most successful soccer teams feature a lot of talent in the middle of the pitch, and the Schram twins and Boyes exemplify that at all three levels.

Boyes has been Westman’s offensive spark as an attacking midfielder and striker, and those are the roles she will continue to play with the REX.

Already a talented threat to both create scoring chances for her teammates and find the back of the net herself, she knows this winter could be a big one for her development.

“When I go there I have to be open-minded because they’re going to do things differently (than in Brandon),” Boyes said. “Not that many people get that opportunity, so I should make the most of it and become the best player I can.”

Rocan is especially impressed with Boyes’ ability to shoot from just about anywhere in the attacking third of the field, but also in her ability to play with her back to the goal.

“Up front, clearly you want to score. But our team likes to use our striker as a position to play off of. They’ll pass to us and we lay the ball off to get an even better opportunity. But you still always want to score up front,” Boyes said, adding she can’t ignore defensive responsibilities.

“The midfield especially you always have to come back because you don’t want to leave that gap in the middle. Or else you’re not doing your job and you’re not really useful.”

Sydney plays centre back, the last resort outside of her goalkeeper. Rocan trusts her there because of her speed and ability to dominate one-on-one situations. The five-foot-three speedster embraces the added pressure because of one small perk.

“I really like it because I get to boss people around,” she laughed.

“I like watching my teammates have success and being a part of building that up from the back. I don’t really enjoy scoring that much because I don’t like all the attention.”

Still, playing at the back where many only notice you when you make a mistake can feel like thankless work. It made the offer to join the REX program that much sweeter.

“It was really motivating to know that I was noticed, for all the hard work and effort I’ve put in to be better,” Sydney said.

“I think it’s going to make me a better player. It’s going to take a lot of hard work and an open mind to learning.”

In Westman FC games, Sydney can have a quiet day when her twin is playing her best. Kendra sits above her in the starting 11 as a holding midfielder, and is tasked with cutting down opponents’ attacks before they get to the back line.

“You have to know the field and the game. You have to be able to run for a long time, but basically your job is to hold the middle and control your midfielders. You see all the gaps you need to close and when you get the ball, you don’t hold onto it. You distribute,” Kendra said, adding she may not be quite as keen to order her teammates around.

“(But) you just have to suck it up and do it anyway. You have to have confidence and be like, ‘Yo, you’ve got to be over there.’”

Rocan feels Kendra does a great job in that role, and has good soccer IQ to know when to push up the field and when to stay conservative and defend.

“If Sydney gets caught up for some reason, Kendra is always back. It’s weird how they are so in tune with each other, but they always are,” Rocan said.

So far, Kendra has enjoyed the experience. When the trio trained with the Bobcats last Wednesday, they had just recently finished up fitness testing with the group, which they are among the youngest players in.

“They’re awesome. They’re really inviting and they’re just good,” Kendra said of her new teammates.

“It’s going to make me push myself a lot and it’s going to make me stronger, mentally and physically.”

The schedule for the REX is intense with one game and four practices per week, as well as a “Grow room” session which focuses on the mental side of the game and incorporates video to study. The athletes also have two strength and conditioning sessions each week.

They have already been hard at work with coach Adam Mooi in Winnipeg. Mooi has been accommodating by allowing the girls to do the off-field sessions with Roziere and Outperforme Athletics. Their teachers are letting them miss classes and providing work to do on the road.

“(We want to thank) all the coaches and everyone that has helped us, our weight training people, Jesse, Bobbi and Dani and all the people involved,” Boyes said.

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