Rachelle Aucoin capped off a stellar career of high school athletics at École NDA by being recruited by Acadia University’s soccer team.
-by Bill Dunphy
If there’s a will, there’s a way.
Rachelle Aucoin is not the first Inverness County athlete to learn that lesson in the pursuit of their goals, but she admits it’s not easy achieving them when you live in a rural community.
This spring, the 18-year-old École NDA grad learned she had been recruited by the Acadia University women’s soccer team, the Axewomen.
The recruitment was the crowning achievement of an eight-year soccer career in which she represented Nova Scotia on the under-16 and under-17 teams, various club teams, and with the NDA Acadiens boys’ team.
As well, Rachelle was a force to be reckoned with throughout her high school career, not only in soccer but also in volleyball, badminton, and track and field. She even ran the last leg of the Cabot Trail Relay this year.
Her high school career, which is now behind her as a member of NDA’s Class of 2015, culminated with her winning Female Athlete of the Year honours.
But developing her soccer skills, to the point where she was being sought after by several universities, has not been easy.
“There were lots of obstacles: driving to Sydney since I was 10; going to Halifax to practice with provincial teams; and, coming from a small town, not having the resources that the larger centres have,” said Rachelle.
She felt there was a certain prejudice against Cape Breton athletes, but that attitude is slowly changing.
“When I first made the provincial team, I was one of four (Cape Bretoners). Now there are 15, and that’s thanks mostly to Mike Wyatt (technical director of Soccer Cape Breton) who revitalized the program,” she said, also noting the support she received from CBU coach Dino Morley.
“But there was a definite prejudice against people from outside Halifax. I was cut (from the provincial team) for three straight years before making it when I was 16.
“There are so many people with talent and skill on this side of the island but who don’t always have the opportunity to play a sport at a level higher than high school. For me to have that opportunity made me humble; driving two hours in order to practice made me focus on the field.”
Rachelle, the daughter of Shelly Merry-Aucoin and René Aucoin, credits her dad and Perry Muise for their involvement in Tim Bits soccer, which she started when she was four-years-old.
“By eight or nine there were teams coming in from Sydney and their coaches would comment on what a hard-working player I was, which only made me work harder,” she said.
Rachelle admits she’s a runner and not a jumper, which is why she didn’t pursue volleyball with the same enthusiasm as soccer.
“Volleyball was a huge part of my life and playing with NDA and Gerry Cormier has made me who I am,” Rachelle said.
“When I play soccer, during the game it is the most important thing in the world at that moment; after the game, I love the exhaustion and the feeling you get from having given it your all.”
Rachelle had the opportunity to introduce herself to scouts from different schools while playing in last year’s under-17 college showcase tournament.
She spoke with recruiters from UPEI, St. Mary’s and CBU, but settled on Acadia to study kinesiology and nutrition, with the goal of one day becoming a certified professional trainer.
For now Rachelle is continuing to play league soccer as a centre-midfielder with the under-18 Cape Breton Football Club, which includes three Halifax teams and one from Antigonish.
Come fall, she, like so many other 18-year-olds, will put her best foot forward with the goal always in sight.
