RYAN MELANSON
Halifax teams headed to soccer nationals after winning regional gold
By Ryan Melanson,
Trident Staff
The home crowd wasn’t disappoint ed at the recent Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Atlantic Region Soccer Championship, with both the Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Halifax men’s and women’s teams coming away with gold medals.
The tournament was held from August 19-21, hosted by 12 Wing Shearwater and held at the Harbour East field in Dartmouth.
On the women’s side, the combined CFB Halifax and 12 Wing Shearwater team went undefeated through the week, capping it off with a 3-0 win in the final over counterparts from 5th Canadian Division Support Base (5 CDSB) Gagetown.
Lieutenant(N) (Lt(N)) Alex Lair, the team’s goaltender and co-captain along with Lt(N) Carrie Wood, said her squad was in top form all week long, even after absorbing a few brand-new postings who weren’t present for earlier practices.
“We came out strong. We came out scoring high goals in the first game, and then we just didn’t let off the gas from there,” she said.
The story was similar for the men’s team. Like the Halifax women, they benefited from a roster of strong players, including international-caliber talent like Lt(N) Jaidonn Freeland, a member of the CAF’s CISM soccer team.
“Military soccer is always challenging. You bring together a group of individuals who don’t have as much opportunity to train together,” Lt(N) Freeland said, adding that it was great to see the team come together, and even adjusting to fill gaps after intense play led to minor injuries and lineup changes through the week. The gold-medal game against Gagetown was hard fought until the very end, with Halifax staving off a late comeback for a 3-2 final.
Lt(N) Freeland made a point to thank the supervisors and unit commanding officers who allowed their members the time away from regular duties to participate in the tournament, and who will again be called on for their support ahead of CAF nationals, which will be held in September for the first time since 2023. After winning regional gold, both teams qualify for the national tournament.
He said the physical and mental benefits that come from organized CAF sports, along with the camaraderie and connections made between teammates and opponents across the country, should be recognized as a positive force.
“Military sport has been a huge driver of why I have continued to be here. If I didn’t have this draw, the job could have a very different dynamic for me. The opportunities that I’ve been presented through soccer have made for an unbelievable career. I know the same is true for others.”
The teams will now strive to get as much practice time in as possible ahead of the next challenge, with the CAF National Soccer Championship set for September 15-19 (women) and September 20-24 (men) at CFB Borden.
