Cougars of the Month
Their blood, their sweat and our cheers.
Melanie Walsh
Sports Editor
The vision of the Cougar Athletics Association is “achieving excellence” and that is exactly what these cougars’ of the month have done.
Reaghan Zilkie likes playing soccer as it gives her the opportunity to utilize her feet as opposed to her hands. Photo by Adrian Shellard
A familiar face and cougar of the month for Feb 2015, Reaghan Zilkie plays centre back for the womens Soccer Team. As a defensive player Zilkie is an unsung hero. She might not be leading scorer but her defensive position allows her to help her team in other ways. “I really like big tackles and going up for headers, I love the physicality of my position because I’m very tall and decent size,” says Zilkie.
As a 23-year-old business student she is currently studying general management and plans on working for the university some day. She is a veteran cougar and has been playing for the team for four years. “The best part about being on any team is having 25 people who are your friends and getting to play a sport that I have loved since I was ten,” says Zilkie.
Soccer has always been a passion of Zilkie’s, “I like that it’s an odd ability being able to run around and dribble a ball and play with your feet. So much of our life is with our hands, it’s an odd talent to have.
Zilkie has a lot of hopes for this season and is eager to make it into the playoffs.
Ryan Clancy plays all positions but you can typically find him filling the role of striker. Photo by Adrian Shellard
Ryan Clancy is a striker, and that’s not just describing his position on the mens soccer team. After he scored a big goal against the University of Calgary in his first year he got his action shot painted on the wall of the mens team locker room. Three years later Clancy is still working hard as a 21-year-old Bachelor of Arts, psychology student. Clancy is a team player both on and off the field, “I really like connecting, and learning about people and working with them and that’s the whole idea about it,” says Clancy.
Clancy is working a lot with his coach to really help develop the team. The soccer team has only been a part of the Canadian Inter-university Sport (CIS) for four years. “In the ACAC [Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference] the team kicked butt and there was that air in the past that the team could take short cuts. Our new coaches are really trying to change that and make it a really good, hardworking atmosphere since the competition is a lot higher. It takes a little more to do your best,” says Clancy.
He is excited to be back at school surrounded by his favourite people and he wants to give a special shout out to some baby cougars, “this year we have a lot of rookies, they all have great attitudes they’re hard working and are great players,” says Clancy.
Clancy is extremely ambitious and hopes to remain as your cougar of the month.
Be sure to check these guys out on the pitch. Their next home games are Oct. 3 for womens and Oct. 11 for mens.
