'I know if I make training hard, the games will be easy ... My team will be fit. My team will be fast. My team will be dynamic,' says men's head coach.
Fans and Simcoe County Rovers players are gearing up for a new season and a return to soccer glory.
The Rovers’ club officials and players from both the men’s and women’s teams gathered with fans inside on a rainy Saturday afternoon at The Canadian Brewhouse in Barrie’s south end for an event to not only kick off their upcoming season, but also give fans the opportunity to meet returning and new players, as well as to unveil their new kit.
Zack Wilson, 32, head coach of the women’s team and assistant coach with the men’s team, said the event was all about bringing the community and the teams together.
He has high hopes for both teams this season.
“I think the unique thing from last year was the synergy with the programs, and the whole club kind of came together, with the women’s side and the men’s side working together,” Wilson said.
The team’s head coach and sporting director, Doneil Henry, 31, has been part of the organization’s ownership group since Day 1.
He took over as head coach partway through last season.
Henry was a well-travelled player over the years, competing in Europe and North America with several teams.
But how does that translate into becoming a good coach?
“Learning every single day,” he told BarrieToday at the event.
“I was always a young player who wanted to get better … and I will bring that same tenacious attitude, discipline, attentiveness to detail, and know that I still think like a player. I know how these boys feel.”
Realistic targets and goals are key to his plan, “and I tell them exactly what I think they are able to do, and I challenge them,” he said.
“I know if I make training hard, the games will be easy.
“My team will be fit. My team will be fast. My team will be dynamic. It’s a well-rounded team ... This is a team that will play for each other. It’s a real brotherhood.”
Luc Ihama, 21, a local player who grew up in the Barrie soccer system, has worked his way up the ranks through the Rovers’ organization.
The young defender said his past three years have been “kind of tough” for him.
“I’ve been training hard and waiting for my spot, and I think this year is the year where I make my mark,” Ihama said.
On the women’s side, Stefanie Young, 23, from Kelowna, B.C., is a new addition to the team.
The forward and midfielder has in the past played for a team in Ireland.
She is currently playing at Brock University while working toward a master’s degree, and has now joined the Rovers.
“I’m very hopeful,” Young told BarrieToday. “I’m excited for the environment that I’ve been immersed in so far.”
She notes her team’s competitive spirit, and the addition of talented new players coming in.
“I think we’re going to be winning some games this summer,” Young said.
Micah Joseph, 21, is a midfielder with the club, and a core part of the men’s team.
He is now entering his second season with the Rovers.
“Last year, I was a young player, just coming through and earning my spot,” Joseph said. “This year, I’m going to try and take on more of a leadership role because we have a lot of younger players, and just show them what it means to be a Rover.”
Holding on to that spot on the team year over year can be difficult, according to Joseph.
“Because you have to perform every day, and training … It’s important to keep working every day,” he said.
The 2025 season kicks off on April 19 at J.C. Massie Field, with the women’s team facing FC London at 2 p.m., followed by the men’s team taking on Scrosoppi FC at 6 p.m.
https://www.barrietoday.com/local-sports/simcoe-county-rovers-have-high-hopes-for-upcoming-2025-season-10483378
