Whitehorse’s Cody (CJ) Reaume, captain of Yukon’s men’s soccer team at the last Canada Summer Games, is not a player who puts his team on the scoreboard.
He’s the type that keeps the other team off it.
“I wasn’t a goal scorer; I played defensive defence,” said Reaume.
Although having no goals on the season, the defenceman was named season MVP for the SAIT Polytechnic Trojans out of Calgary this week.
“It’s pretty exciting; I wasn’t expecting that at all,” said Reaume. “I was always working hard at practice. Working with guys older than me and more experienced, I was always putting in 100 per cent.
“I just think I had a really good season. I played solid and did my part. I wasn’t a goal scorer or anything; I made sure I played my game every game and I was consistent every game.”
The Trojans, who went undefeated up to the finals of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference with a 7-0-3 record, lost in a shootout against the Mount Royal University Cougars in the finals for second place. The Trojans did capture the conference’s south division pennant on their way to the finals.
“(Reaume) was simply outstanding this year,” said Trojans head coach Grant Stevens. “He’s really a diamond in the rough. I first noticed him when he played in the Canada Summer Games for the Yukon. I was the head coach for Team Alberta and I was able to scout him and he’s made a very big improvement this past few months.”
According to Reaume, he was able to bring his game to the next level through hard work and by playing with, and competing against, elite athletes all season.
“A couple of the guys on my team are trying out for a semi-pro team in Edmonton now and just playing with and against guys of that calibre really makes you step up,” said Reaume. “I might not have had some of the same foot skills as those guys, but I played with my heart and gave it my all. I definitely improved this year in all aspects of the game.”
Reaume is joined on the Trojans by Whitehorse’s Coty Fraser, who is also a defenceman in his first year of study at the college, but was not a starter this year.
“Both of the boys said they’d be back next year, so I’ll spend more time with Coty Fraser next year to establish him as a first-11 player as well,” said Stevens. “They are extremely athletic and willing to learn and that age it makes it much easier for me.”
Yukoners will soon have the chance to see Reaume in action as he is looking forward to returning to Whitehorse over the summer and playing with local teams.
“I will hopefully be playing with the Yukon Selects, and I heard there will be a U-19 team,” said Reaume. “Hopefully I’ll play with both those teams and train hard over the summer.”
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com