Women's Soccer Land Versatile Talent Varias
The CMU Women's Soccer program is very pleased to announce the commitment of Leila Varias for the 2023-24 MCAC season. The Miles Macdonell product will add more versatility to the Blazers' lineup with experience playing all over the pitch throughout her high school and club career thus far.
Playing with the Buckeyes at her Miles Macdonell Collegiate, Varias has shone both in the MHSAA "AAAA" outdoor and WYSA high school girls premiership indoor seasons throughout her time at the school. Since the COVID-19 cancelled seasons, her Buckeyes have gone on to become KPAC Champions in the outdoor season last spring, where Varias featured primarily as a forward on the wing, occasionally dropping back to the midfield when asked. In the indoor premiership she was tasked with controlling the midfield, but still maintained her scoring touch, where she was still able to find the back of the net in the top high school tier in the province.
Like most home-grown soccer players, Varias started her club career at the grassroots level, eventually finding her start at the premier level with Winnipeg South End United for the 2015-16 season. She then took her talents to FC NorthWest for the 2016-18 seasons, where she captured a Cambrian Credit Union Cup Championship in her final season with the club. Featuring primarily as a forward in her club soccer more recently, Varias has seen all parts of the pitch throughout her career, with experience playing as a centre back earlier her time playing club. Most recently, Varias has suited up for Phoenix FC, where she played for the 2022 season, her final year in the Winnipeg Youth Soccer Association system. That squad went on to become the WYSA 2022 Single Season City Champions, a fantastic finish to her youth soccer career.
Now heading into her post-secondary soccer career, Varias intends to come into the MCAC season in fine form, having also committed to playing this summer with Titans in the premier division of the Winnipeg Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the city. There she will be playing alongside new teammate Kasey Petruskavich and hopefully developing some chemistry going into the fall season. After reaching out to Blazers Women's Soccer co-head coaches Cara Isaak and Lianna Bestvater, both sides became excited about the prospect of the versatile winger suiting up in green and gold this fall. "We're so excited to welcome Leila to our team," states Isaak about their first recruit of the offseason. "One thing that really stands out about Leila is her versatility. She can play in the midfield, on the wing, or up top. She's a strong finisher and doesn't need much space to create a scoring chance. We also love her intensity when she plays; she tough and focused and then when the game's done you can see her bubbly personality come back out. She's going to really help our attacking power next season!" It would appear the excitement is mutual as Varias is thrilled to compete at the next level in the MCAC, as well as learn from coaches Cara and Lianna to further grow as an athlete, while getting to know the energetic and dedicated group that she will be joining.
Now heading into their third season since the MCAC was fully accepted into the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association, the Blazers are excited to hit the road for some pre-season CCAA action in Alberta this fall. On the home front the Universite de Saint-Boniface Rouges have captured the past two MCAC Championships since the provincial winners have earned a spot at the National Championships, but the Blazers will push hard for the title as they host the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference Championships at the Ralph Cantafio Soccer Complex October 28-29.
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