The Canadian College Athletic Association (CCAA) has named Conestoga Condors head coach Stuart Mackie the Men's Soccer 2022 Coach of the Year. Mackie is the first coach in Conestoga athletics history to receive a CCAA coach of the year honour.
Conestoga Condors head coach Stuart Mackie was named Men's Soccer 2022 Coach of the Year by CCAA.
Mackie led the varsity men's soccer program to a 9-1 season to qualify for the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) quarterfinals for the second year in a row. Last year was the first time the team advanced to the playoffs in more than a decade. The team placed second this season in the OCAA West Division and was ranked tenth nationally going into the post-season.
"We feel very fortunate to have Coach Stuart leading our men's soccer team. He's built a successful program in a short time based on shared core values: integrity, sportsmanship, and resiliency," said Andrew Bates, Associate Director of Sports & Recreation. "Stuart's success this year was not a coincidence, but the result of strategic and timely efforts recruiting top local talent, as well as engaging and developing student-athletes who show great potential."
Mackie took over the program two years ago after joining as an assistant coach in 2017 and immediately impacted student-athletes and the trajectory of the men's soccer program. The wins this season were the most ever by Condors Men's Soccer and the team ranked among CCAA's Top 10 for the first time. Mackie was presented the honour at an awards banquet on November 8 as part of the 2022 CCAA Men's Soccer National Championship, hosted by Langara College in British Columbia. The CCAA honour comes after Mackie was named OCAA 2022 Men's Soccer Coach of the Year.
"To me, these awards are more of a reflection on the team, coaching staff and athletics staff than a personal accomplishment," said Mackie. "We have no one to thank more than the players. They put in the hard work and sacrificed time with family and friends to be on the field every night for two months. The players believed in the system and bought into the culture of the program and deserve all the credit for our success on the field."
Several other Condors Men's Soccer team members were recognized by OCAA this season in addition to Mackie. Fourth-year captain Malachi Ramsay and first-year goalkeeper Pedja Jovicic were named OCAA West Division First Team All Stars. Student-athletes Carson Davison, Josip Stojanovic and Alex Amaral were named OCAA West Division Second Team All Stars. Stojanovic was also awarded the OCAA and West Division Men's Rookie of the Year.
"I am extremely proud of our team's success this past season. Our coaching staff deserves a lot of praise for their work in growing the program over the past few years," said Ramsay. "After this fantastic 9-1 season, we will be looking to continue building with this incredible group of players to achieve even more success in the future."
In 2021, Conestoga announced a partnership with the City of Cambridge to develop a soccer complex on the east side of the Grand River at the corner of Fountain Street and Linden Drive. The state-of-the-art facility is set to open in 2023 and will create high-quality sports and recreation opportunities for athletes and youth across the community. The facility will also be home to the Conestoga Condors Men's and Women's Soccer programs.
The CCAA is the governing body for national intercollegiate championships, enriching the academic experience of student-athletes by providing leadership, programs and services that foster development through high-level competitive opportunities in sport. The OCAA is the provincial governing body for intercollegiate sports, offering quality programs to pursue athletic excellence.
Conestoga's Athletics and Recreation department offers programming and facilities designed to motivate students and enhance their health and wellness through varsity and extramural athletics, recreational sport, and fitness programming. The Recreation Centre at the Kitchener - Doon campus provides a full range of recreation and athletic services and houses a 35,000-square-foot fitness centre outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment.