Capers leader ready to shoot for fourth consecutive AUS crown
CBU women's soccer coach Ness Timmons calls veteran midfielder Fatou Ndiaye "the whole package.
By Corey LeBlanc
With the way Fatou Ndiaye races down the wing with a soccer ball, it's not surprising to discover that she has a background in track and field.
The veteran left-back with the Cape Breton University Capers women’s soccer program is in her fourth season of giving Atlantic University Sport opponents nightmares with those patented rushes. What may be surprising is that the native of Pierrefonds, Quebec— a town on the outskirts of Montreal – didn’t take the pitch until she was 12.
“I looked up to him and I wanted to be like him,” she says of her brother, Mohamed, who played soccer, reflecting on her start in the sport. “I thought I would give it a try.”
Ndiaye explains there was a learning curve; her speed was instantly an asset, but she had to work on her technique.
“I fell in love [with soccer] right away,” she says. One thing that drew her in was the “team spirit” that she experienced.
Ndiaye began as a striker, but she made the move to left-back as a replacement for an injured teammate.
The rest—as they say— is history.
“I did a little bit of everything,” Ndiaye says of her soccer experiences with school, regional and provincial teams. When it came time to select the university that she would attend, Ndiaye decided to head to the east coast.
As for her choice to don Capers orange, she says the traditional high school recruiting trip helped seal the deal, while fondly remembering how the coaches and players treated her—and how they treated each other—when she visited CBU’s Sydney campus. It was an unforgettable atmosphere that left a profound effect on her.
“I knew it would be a great environment in which to grow,” Ndiaye offers. She notes that she visited some other universities, but, “I didn’t get the same feeling that I had at CBU.”
“It has been a very, very good experience,” Ndiaye says.
When it comes to the strengths of her game, she explains that—without compromising her defensive responsibilities—she has an “offensive mindset.”
“I love getting up the wing and participating in the attack and creating scoring opportunities.”
Veteran CBU head coach Stephen “Ness” Timmons fondly remembers meeting Ndiaye at a showcase tournament in Montreal. “She was interested in coming to the east coast,” he says, adding that she was the type of person that they recruit for the Caper program. Timmons describes Ndiaye as a “quality person.”
“Fatou is the whole package,” he says when asked what his veteran defender brings to the field, adding that Ndiaye boasts that “rare combination.”
“She is dangerous in the attack and responsible defensively,” Timmons explains. Not to mention her athleticism, strength and speed.
“Fatou is a model player,” Timmons says, in reflecting on her contributions—both on and off the pitch. He describes her “maturity and quality character,” which have been contributors to Ndiaye becoming a Caper captain.
“She has the respect of teammates,” Timmons says.
Speaking of teammates, one new face in the CBU locker room this season was a familiar one to Ndiaye. Her cousin— Amy-Anne Ndiaye—is a freshman defender with the program. Noting that her younger cousin has battled injuries so far, she says Amy-Anne has started to show what she can contribute to the team.
“She is going to do well,” Ndiaye predicts of her cousin’s future with the Capers.
Along with individual honours, which include an AUS second team all-star nod in 2019 and a first team spot this season, Ndiaye has been a key contributor to the program’s success, which includes winning three AUS banners; not to mention U SPORTS silver (2017) and bronze (2018) medals during her time in Caper orange.
“They are all special,” Ndiaye offers, noting that it is hard to top making the podium on the national championship stage. But she says the first conference championship victory holds great meaning. “I will never forget it,” Ndiaye adds of that feat in her freshman season.
Along with her athletic accomplishments, Ndiaye has excelled in the classroom, having earned Academic All-Canadian status in her first three seasons. She plans to finish the required coursework to graduate with her Bachelor of Science in public health this semester. From there, Ndiaye is considering either moving on to Master’s studies in health science or completing her public health inspector certification.
“They have always been very helpful,” she notes of the CBU coaching staff, while also crediting the university’s academic advisors and professors for their assistance. Ndiaye describes her time at CBU as “amazing.”
“I have met so many great people,” she says while noting the countless lessons she has learned in her time as a Caper. Ndiaye praises the many mentors that have assisted in her development— both on and off the field.
“I will be grateful for the rest of my life,” she says.
Ndiaye and her CBU teammates will start defense of their AUS crown on Friday, November 5 (4:30 p.m.) when they face either the Dalhousie Tigers or Acadia Axewomen in a semifinal match. (For a full playoff preview, read more here.)
CBU is hosting the 2021 Subway AUS Soccer Championships – both women’s and men’s— from Thursday, Nov. 4 to Sunday, Nov. 7, at the Cape Breton Health Recreation Complex on the Sydney campus.
As for what the Capers need to do to capture their fourth consecutive conference banner, Ndiaye offers, “Play to our strengths,” while carrying a “winning attitude” into each match.
“We have put in the work, so we are ready to go.”
2021 Subway AUS Soccer Championship schedules: women’s / men’s