WINDSOR JUNCTION: Highs and lows come in all forms, especially for high-performance athletes, like Lucy Boudreau.
A day after her soccer team won the Atlantic championship, Boudreau found out she did not make the to level team for the next year at Under-15. That meant she was no longer a member of the performance club anymore and had to decide what team she wanted to join.
“Coming from wearing a Gold Medal to hanging up that jersey the next day was a very painful experience,” said Boudreau. “It took me almost three weeks to decide if I would take a break from soccer for good or continue.
“This was the point that I decided I loved playing soccer too much to give up and I realized the number of A’s that came with the team roster you were assigned to were not important to me as long as I felt I could develop my skills. I never looked back.”
And now she’s off to join the University of Kings Blue Devils women’s soccer team beginning this fall.
“Playing Soccer in my post secondary years for the Blue Devils in the ACAA league and enrolling for the highly ranked for Bachelor of Science program at their affiliate school, Dalhousie University, is the perfect student athlete balance for me.,” said Boudreau.
“Having the smaller team and close-knit campus at UKC, along with the extra amenities of a larger university, is going to be a great place for me to call home.”
Boudreau will be studying Bachelor of Science in Psychology with an interest in pursuing a Law Degree.
She found her love for soccer when her mom enrolled her in the Timbits soccer program during one summer in PEI. In the summers, the family would spend the bulk of the sunny season at their cottage on the Island.
“At four-years-old, I was into practice for the ice cream cone afterwards, but the love of soccer was born,’ she said with a chuckle. “In the elementary years here in Fall River, I had fun playing with my neighbourhood team mates and our volunteer parent coaches in the community program. “
In the teen years, Boudreau joined local club soccer and a more competitive level.
The Windsor Junction product said she’s looking to a great team environment with the Blue Devils program.
“My soccer background doesn’t boost major accolades as a top talent, but I am certainly the “bubble kid” that never gave up,” she said in describing her abilities. “Even though I was not usually on the Highest-level team at my club, I was content in a team environment where I could grow and develop.
“This has taught me to trust the process, surround yourself with coaches and teammates who want to help you succeed, and set personal goals that you can work on every single day.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Boudreau and her U-17AA team went to a showcase tournament in Boston.
“This opened up all the possibilities to play at the post secondary level available in the United States. I had some great feedback from coaches at this tournament at the end of my grade 10 year,” she said. “Unfortunately, the pandemic lasted way longer than anyone anticipated and the interest in going to school in the US faded over time.
“The university I wanted for my education was the most important to me and soccer play was only an option if that worked out.”
She had a message to others wondering, like she did, if they too can play their sport at the university level.
“To any player asking themselves if they are good enough to follow the path to university level play, I would say to ask yourself what you want regardless of what labels have been set in place,” said Boudreau.
