New recruits
Sydney Academy football players heading to university
Three graduates of the Sydney Academy Wildcats football team will look to tackle the sport at the university level in the fall.
Bryce MacCormack and Daniel Petrie of Sydney are off to Antigonish to hit the field for the St. Francis Xavier X-Men, while Liam Gould of Eskasoni is heading to Halifax to suit up for the Dalhousie Tigers.
MacCormack played running back/linebacker at Sydney Academy, but will switch to tight end/ fullback with the X-Men.
“It’s really cool to be able to go there and also since it’s really close to home,” said the 18-yearold. “It’s a really nice school with good programs, too.”
MacCormack will be enrolled in the bachelor of science program with a diploma in engineering. He began playing football in 2009 when Football Cape Breton made its return, but never really thought he’d continue on with the sport in university until last year.
“Since they brought the program back, a lot of kids are starting to be able to get the opportunity to go,” he said.
Petrie, 18, an offensive lineman, started playing football in Grade 10 with the Wildcats. He was excited to be in the same recruiting class as MacCormack.
“Not until the start of Grade 12 was I thinking about going to school somewhere and playing football,” he said. “It shows that our group down here is doing some good stuff.”
He said although it would be a big adjustment, having someone he knows at the school will help in that process.
“I feel that I’ll grow with the team that they have,” said Petrie, who will be pursuing a business degree. “They have good coaching up there and I was talking with the offensive coach and he’s a good coach and well known.”
Gould, a 19-year-old defensive tackle, graduated last year, but went back to high school to complete academic upgrades. He was accepted into Dalhousie for the fall.
He transferred to Sydney Academy to play football starting in Grade 11, which meant some early mornings just to attend school.
“It’s cool. I thought I’d never adjust to another school and other teams,” he said. “In a few weeks, I adjusted to everything. I made friends like Dan, Bryce and the rest of the football boys.
“I adjusted to knowing the teachers, knowing the school and waking up early in the morning every day.”
Gould was offered a spot on the team by Tigers head coach Mark Haggett after seeing him at a combine. Unlike the X-Men who compete in the Atlantic University Sport conference, the Tigers play in the Atlantic Football League against club teams from the University of New Brunswick, Holland College and Université de Moncton. Dalhousie’s football program returned to the field in 2010 after a 34-year hiatus.
“Learn the ropes, know more about the game of football and adjust to city life because I live in a community of Eskasoni, make friends up there and get used to the football program and how it works day-to-day,” said Gould of what he expects in his first year.
Gould will pursue a bachelor of arts degree and will be taking law courses. He hopes to get into the RCMP after he graduates.