AVĪŽĀė

CCAA Womenā€™s Soccer Player of the Year credits team & atmosphere as excellence shines

ā€œI was not expecting it at all. That was a bit of a shock,ā€ shared Vanessa Pietramala, recounting the phone call she received after the 2023 collegiate soccer season.

ā€œThey said ā€˜Congratulations!ā€™ and I replied ā€˜Congratulations for what? Did I miss something?ā€™ā€

Pietramala had recently been awarded the ACAC Womenā€™s Soccer North Player of the Year after a season where she helped the team to an undefeated regular season and contributed to more than a third of the teamā€™s goals, with 9 goals and 16 assists. 

ā€œWhen they told me I got player of the year, I said ā€˜Well, I already know that,ā€™ and they said ā€˜No. CCAA player of the year,ā€™ā€ she recalled.

ā€œI didnā€™t think it was anywhere within my grasp. I still think Iā€™m a bit shocked.ā€

Pietramala is in just her third year of ACAC eligibility, with the potential to spend up to two more seasons with the Concordia Thunder. Already looked up to by many on the team, sheā€™s excited to step into more of a leadership role next season. 

ā€œIā€™m looking forward to being that person that everyone can come to and to be that connective bridge between everybody,ā€ Pietramala said. ā€œGetting the team bonding going, ensuring everybody knows their place, and for the prospects coming into the program, putting them in a place where they can make an impact and have a role within the team as well.ā€

Currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Education (After Degree) at AVĪŽĀė, Pietramala finds similarities between leading a classroom and her collegiate soccer team.

ā€œWhen youā€™re in the classroom as a teacher, youā€™re that leader, youā€™re that role model for a classroom of students and I think that translates perfectly to next year,ā€ she said.

ā€œI will be one of the seniorsā€“one of only a couple this yearā€“so itā€™s my job to lead that younger group of players, to guide them, to pass on that knowledge, and to pass on that torch.ā€

The team sheā€™ll lead is a group sheā€™s grown fond of over the years, despite the short ACAC soccer season.  

ā€œThe team has a very bubbly and dynamic atmosphere. Everybody from year one to year five goes through so many things in those 3 months with such a condensed season,ā€ said Pietramala. ā€œItā€™s definitely an uplifting environment.ā€

While the condensed season can make the student-athlete balance tricky at times, Pietramala says itā€™s all worth it in the end.

ā€œGoing to practice and seeing those girls is the best part of your day, even if you didnā€™t feel like that at the moment,ā€ she said. ā€œItā€™s the little things. Itā€™s going out to dinner with the team. Itā€™s grabbing ice cream down the street after practice. Itā€™s all of the little things for me.ā€

The positive team environment created a space for Pietramala to let her playmaking and technical abilities shine, and along the way, sheā€™s had a set of cheerleaders by her side.

ā€œSome of the first-years this year were some of my biggest fans and it was the nicest thing to see,ā€ Pietramala said. ā€œThey motivate me. Theyā€™re always in my corner.ā€