CCAA Women鈥檚 Soccer Player of the Year credits team & atmosphere as excellence shines
鈥淚 was not expecting it at all. That was a bit of a shock,鈥� shared Vanessa Pietramala, recounting the phone call she received after the 2023 collegiate soccer season.
鈥淭hey said 鈥楥ongratulations!鈥� and I replied 鈥楥ongratulations for what? Did I miss something?鈥欌��
Pietramala had recently been awarded the ACAC Women鈥檚 Soccer North Player of the Year after a season where she helped the team to an undefeated regular season and contributed to more than a third of the team鈥檚 goals, with 9 goals and 16 assists.
鈥淲hen they told me I got player of the year, I said 鈥榃ell, I already know that,鈥� and they said 鈥楴o. CCAA player of the year,鈥欌�� she recalled.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think it was anywhere within my grasp. I still think I鈥檓 a bit shocked.鈥�
Pietramala is in just her third year of ACAC eligibility, with the potential to spend up to two more seasons with the Concordia Thunder. Already looked up to by many on the team, she鈥檚 excited to step into more of a leadership role next season.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to being that person that everyone can come to and to be that connective bridge between everybody,鈥� Pietramala said. 鈥淕etting the team bonding going, ensuring everybody knows their place, and for the prospects coming into the program, putting them in a place where they can make an impact and have a role within the team as well.鈥�
Currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Education (After Degree) at 麻豆原创, Pietramala finds similarities between leading a classroom and her collegiate soccer team.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e in the classroom as a teacher, you鈥檙e that leader, you鈥檙e that role model for a classroom of students and I think that translates perfectly to next year,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 will be one of the seniors鈥搊ne of only a couple this year鈥搒o it鈥檚 my job to lead that younger group of players, to guide them, to pass on that knowledge, and to pass on that torch.鈥�
The team she鈥檒l lead is a group she鈥檚 grown fond of over the years, despite the short ACAC soccer season.
鈥淭he team has a very bubbly and dynamic atmosphere. Everybody from year one to year five goes through so many things in those 3 months with such a condensed season,鈥� said Pietramala. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely an uplifting environment.鈥�
While the condensed season can make the student-athlete balance tricky at times, Pietramala says it鈥檚 all worth it in the end.
鈥淕oing to practice and seeing those girls is the best part of your day, even if you didn鈥檛 feel like that at the moment,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the little things. It鈥檚 going out to dinner with the team. It鈥檚 grabbing ice cream down the street after practice. It鈥檚 all of the little things for me.鈥�
The positive team environment created a space for Pietramala to let her playmaking and technical abilities shine, and along the way, she鈥檚 had a set of cheerleaders by her side.
鈥淪ome of the first-years this year were some of my biggest fans and it was the nicest thing to see,鈥� Pietramala said. 鈥淭hey motivate me. They鈥檙e always in my corner.鈥�