With the return of varsity football looming, winning a national championship this year is more important than ever for the Carleton Ravens men’s soccer team.
Ranked third in the country, the Ravens are an impressive 10-2 this season with two games remaining in the regular season. They’re also on a seven-game winning streak, and they’d better keep things going in the playoffs before the Ravens football team hits the field running in 2013. This season represents their last chance to win before competing with the football team for a fall sports fan base.
Despite a similarly strong showing for the men’s soccer team last season, they were upset in the playoffs. They have never won a Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championship.
University fans want to support a winning cause, as evidenced by the men’s basketball team’s strong following. With no honours to shows for, it will be very difficult for the men’s soccer team to compete with all the hype and excitement surrounding the return of Ravens football.
The CIS football season runs through the soccer campaign, and the Ravens football squad will also be playing in Keith Harris Stadium. The novelty of a new team and the fact that their seasons will overlap, not to mention the slight overlap with pre-season basketball and hockey, means soccer is about to get some stiff competition.
This time around, the soccer team should see the return of Ravens football as a motivational tool. They need to act now or deal with the reality of empty stands in the future. Winning a national championship is obviously easier said than done, but the Ravens need to realize that this season, it’s not just about winning a trophy — it’s about winning a fan base, and solidifying a succesful program for years to come.