Laurier’s football team took a big step towards putting a disappointing season behind them last week, announcing its first wave of recruits for the 2013 season.
So far, over 25 players have committed to Laurier next year, with more names expected to join in the coming weeks.
This marks the first recruiting class of new head coach Michael Faulds’s tenure, and his first time convincing players to join the Wilfrid Laurier community.
“There’s a lot [of selling points],” said Faulds.
“The tight-knit campus feel, the real collegiate atmosphere, in terms of how half the student body always wears Laurier gear around campus, that’s really nice. The actual city of Waterloo is a beautiful, safe city.
“In terms of our football program, the great winning tradition and history, and I can’t say a bad thing about our coaching staff … so I think it’s pretty enticing.”
Faulds and recruiting coordinator Dwayne Cameron opted for a unique way of signing recruits this year. Instead of having the recruits come to Laurier when they commit, the duo would travel to the recruits’ various high schools so they could sign their letter of intent in front of family, friends and local media.
Some of the players highlighting this year’s class include receiver Marcus Arkarakas from King City Secondary.
Arkarakas has experience playing quarterback, running back and defensive back. Faulds sees the dynamic receiver as a strong slot presence and useful special-teamer.
Another receiver expected to contribute immediately is Anthony Pizzuti.
Pizzuti is a current Laurier student who missed out on playing for the team last year. Instead, he played for the Hamilton Hurricanes of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) last season.
Edward Cadougan will be one of the names boosting Laurier’s offensive line. Listed at 280 lbs, he is guard out of Senator O’Connor College School in Toronto.
“He is a strong kid, he’ll look to push the play as well,” commented Faulds.
Laurier also drew a good crop of players from the Kitchener-Waterloo area.
Eric McCormick, Matt Davidson and Chris Reddy are just some of the players from the surrounding area to join the team.
“We want to make a strong presence within Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge,” said Faulds. “Part of my talk when I first got hired is that you’ve got to own your own backyard. If you are constantly losing recruits from your local high schools to other universities, you’re behind the eight-ball already. We need to continue to get the top players in high schools around here, and then start looking elsewhere.”
While still waiting to hear back from a few undecided players, Faulds admits that his staff has already started looking towards recruiting for the 2014 class.
As for the upcoming season, the Golden Hawks will have their spring game April 7 at 1 p.m. at Knight-Newbrough Field.
“I want to encourage the student body to come out to that and that will give everyone a sense of what they are going to see in the fall. I think we’re going to be competitive,” Faulds said.