The Simon Fraser University men’s soccer program could call their new handbook The Clan’s Horiscope Guide to Recruiting.
Well, actually there is no handbook, but the stars must have been aligned when SFU signed Vancouver Islanders Brandon Watson, Tarnvir Bhandal and Chris Merriman. All three players were born on Jan. 22.
“I guess that was fate. It’s pretty cool,” said Victoria’s Watson, who’ll be the starting goalkeeper today in Denver when the the Clan play the University of California-San Diego Tritons in their first game of the NCAA Div. II Sweet 16 tournament.
In just his freshman season, Watson, a graduate of the Reynolds Secondary soccer academy, has become a major impact player for the Clan. He made a huge point-blank save on a potential golden goal in the Clan’s 2-1 double overtime victory over Cal State Los Angeles last week, a win that sent the Clan on to the Sweet 16.
“We knew he was good, but he’s completely exceeded expectations,” SFU coach Alan Koch said. “He’s mature beyond his years. He’s been brilliant.”
Although Watson is a freshman, he arrived with a fair bit of experience. He was in the Vancouver Whitecaps residency program, and played with the Victoria Highlanders and provincial teams, before going to Coastal Carolina University. He badly injured a hip in Carolina. Surgery followed, along with a transfer, and a fresh start with the Clan.
“All of it has given me pretty good experience in the big games,” Watson said.
Unlike Watson, Bhandal joined SFU straight out of St. Andrew’s High School, but has built on the experience of being a surprise rookie starter for the Victoria Highlanders last summer.
“He’s a young guy with a lot of talent,” Koch said, noting Bhandal has made the most of his playing time this season. “It’s rare for anyone that young to get any playing time, but he came in off the bench and did very well.”
“He’s going to get better and better.”
The story for Merriman isn’t quite such a happy one, thanks to a plague of serious injuries that have left him on the bench for the last two years. A defender, Merriman won a Canadian college championship with Vancouver Island University in 2010, but hip and back problems have required surgery and extensive rehab, leading to a medical red-shirt this season.
From the sidelines, Merriman has done what he can to support the team, as they try to better their Final Four appearance in 2012, and become the first Canadian team to win the NCAA Div. II championship.
