White and Blue contingent contributing to Wanderers U23 program
By Corey LeBlanc
Four STFX X-Men are amongst a group of Atlantic University Sport (AUS) soccer players who are experiencing 'the beautiful game' at a professional level this summer.
The 2022 Wanderers U23 roster – a program created under the Halifax Wanderers Football Club of the Canadian Premier League (CPL) – includes White and Blue student-athletes Lewis Dye (Fall River, NS), Luke Green (Fall River, NS), Jack Kennedy (Antigonish, NS) and Max Bodurtha (Halifax, NS).
"It's been great," Dye – a soon-to-be fifth-year defender with the X-Men – says of the opportunity.
He adds sharing it with his teammates has been "extra special."
Along with training, which Dye describes as "hard and intense," the Wanderers U23 are playing a pair of squads from Première Ligue de soccer du Québec (PLSQ) – the top semi-professional circuit in that province.
In the first match-up, a 3-2 loss to CS St-Hubert at the Halifax Wanderers Grounds on July 27, Green – a defender – collected one of the markers for the home side.
Green, who is readying for his second season at X, played the full 90 minutes at centre back.
Kennedy, who will be back in White and Blue for his fourth season this fall, garnered 45 minutes at right back, while Bodurtha – entering his sophomore campaign at the AUS level – played the final 15 minutes in the midfield.
"It was a great honour," Dye offers of donning the captain's band for Wanderers U23 in their inaugural match.
The X-Men veteran – who is embarking on his fourth season of AUS eligibility – played the whole match at centre back.
The tilt was the first official match for Wanderers U23 – a program created in 2021 by the parent Halifax Wanderers organization that focuses on offering professional development opportunities for young players in Atlantic Canada.
Led by Mesut Mert, who is also head coach of the Saint Mary's Huskies men's program, the Wanderers U23 staff – which includes X-Men alumni Jesse Burgins – hosted identification camps last fall and in early 2022, with more than 40 AUS student-athletes. Since then, players have participated in training sessions, including intra-squad matches against the Wanderers' first team, in preparation for the summer games.
"The Wanderers U23 program is an important stepping stone for the top university players in Atlantic Canada, and it's significant for soccer's future in our region," veteran X-Men head coach Graham Kennedy says.
He adds, "I hope the Wanderers continue to provide leadership to bridge the considerable opportunity gap between youth soccer and the professional game."
Kennedy credits Halifax sporting director Matt Fegan and his team "behind the scenes" with the Wanderers for getting "off to a good start working with AUS programs to build this part of the player development pathway."
The Antigonish native, who is also head coach of the STFX X-Women, is "hopeful" that the Wanderers will extend the initiative into the women's game.
When Dye spoke to STFX Athletics on Sunday afternoon, he and his Wanderers U23 teammates were in the middle of five days of training over a six-day period in preparation for their encounter with CS Saint-Laurent on Wednesday, Aug. 3. And, along with that commitment, players have been taking the pitch with their club programs this summer.
At the time of the conversation, the line-up for the upcoming Wanderers U23 homefield match-up with CS Saint-Laurent – the first-place squad the in PLSQ, which is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 3, at 6:30 p.m. – had yet to be announced.
"No matter who plays," Dye says, everyone will be out in full force to support one another.
When it comes to the Wanderers U23 experience, he describes it as "great all around," while nothing how the results continue to confirm how AUS players can compete at the professional level.
He expects the X-Men involved to "keep up" the "really good tempo," they established while with the program, and carry it over to their varsity training camp later this month on the Antigonish campus.
"It has been a really great development opportunity," Dye says.
-30-