Templer to join CAPERS men's soccer program in the fall
By IAIN KING
OLIVER TEMPLER has revealed he discovered what lies at the heart of being a CAPER from a National title winning hero who knows the Men's soccer program inside out.
German Peter Schaale was at the core of Head Coach Deano Morley's side when they were crowned U SPORTS champions in 2017 and remains a passionate alumni supporter. Ball-playing centre-back Ollie marvelled at Schaale's progression from CBU to becoming a mainstay for Halifax Wanderers in the Canadian Premier League (CPL) and he was thrilled to get the chance to speak to Peter about his journey.
"Coach Deano put me in touch with Peter and we had a great conversation about his days at CBU as a player and how he had come back last year to run a fitness and mentorship program in pre-season," Ollie reveals. "Peter gave me this unbelievable insight about your program, how well it does, and how it helped set him up for the future and his career. When I heard that, I was like, wow, this is great. I knew it would help build me as a footballer."
Ollie shares, "Then you look at the CPL talent the CAPERS produce like Max Piepgrass at Cavalry and then Harvey Hughes at Halifax Wanderers. I know of Max and two of my team-mates have even played with him when he played for Cavs 2 in the Alberta Premier League. I hope I can get a chance to play against him soon because I know what he means to CBU."
Ollie has a fascinating back story. His mom and dad are Polish, but he was born in Dublin, Ireland, and now he calls Edmonton, Alberta, his hometown. He was seven years old when his family emigrated to Canada. He is used to the sort of journey that relocating from West Coast to East is going to give him come August.
"Back in Dublin I played at a club called St. Mochtas where I started out in the Little Kickers when I was three," smiles Ollie. "My love of the game grew from there and in Edmonton. I have played for the likes of St. Albert Impact and Soccer Elite Academy where I now coach in the grassroots level as well as play."
When you watch Ollie's highlight reel, there's a calmness about his work as he strides out from central defence. His dominant foot is his right, but he has worked every day to give himself the ability to arrow passes with his left.
"I saw that as a weakness I had and felt it was something I needed to develop," shrugs Ollie who will pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration degree when he arrives on the island this Fall. "That's how I approach the game, always looking to improve and the environment you have at CBU was a big factor in my choice."
"I know how close Residence is to the field and you're training almost every single day with gym work and everything. It's exactly what I need because I still have aspirations to play at the highest level I can in Europe," admits Ollie. "I follow last season's captain Joe Mac on Instagram, and I know he is coaching now and helping players improve even in the off-season. I love that.
"It's great to see how the players, in their off time, they're out there training, they're putting in the work. I love the level of detail the program has from the care that you guys put into training your athletes to tactical analysis on the big screen in the AV room. It's next level."
When Coach Morley embarked on this relaunch he earmarked the importance of the PERSON behind the player. In Ollie he has unearthed an articulate, unassuming, humble teenager who exudes the qualities we feel should live inside a CAPER.
"When we identify players, we always start with the person. Talent will only take you so far, but character, mindset, and a willingness to learn are what allow players to grow in our environment. Ollie showed all of those qualities from the very beginning," stresses the CAPERS Head Coach. "What we have built here is a high-performance environment that consistently develops players and drives success at the national level. That comes from standards, habits, and daily commitment, and Ollie has the mindset to step into that and grow within it."
The Class of 2026 is getting ready to write their story in the journal of this powerhouse franchise. Ollie can't wait. "It'll definitely be a new challenge for me, but from what I've seen, a lot of the other players are also around my age," he reasons. "We can share experiences and grow up together and we can learn from people like Joe Mac who I've already had some brilliant conversations with. Everyone there is so helpful and if you ask them, they'll give you a straight response."