Two-way center midfielder commits to Capers

By Corey LeBlanc

(Sydney, NS) - A highly-regarded center midfielder is the latest player to sign on to don Caper orange next fall for the Cape Breton University (CBU) women's soccer program. "I am super excited – I can't wait to get started," Libby Yuke – a 17-year-old student-athlete from Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia – says. Like millions of other young Canadians, her soccer journey kicked off – as a four-year-old – when her parents enrolled Yuke in a Timbits minor program in her community. Before long, she was lacing up her cleats with the Sackville United Soccer Association. "It took off from there," Yuke remembers – not only of participation, but also her passion for the game. She notes that she "looked forward" to every moment she could spend on the pitch."I seemed to be naturally good at it, and I really loved being on the field with my teammates," Yuke offers, when asked about the appeal of soccer for her.

After receiving an invite to an U10 provincial identification camp – where she would be training with older players – Yuke says she started to think that she could have a future in the sport at a high level.Over the ensuing years – up until her time in the U17 classification – she played on a variety of Soccer Nova Scotia provincial teams. "I learned a lot from the coaches and, of course, everyone I played with," she notes. Yuke, who recently wrapped up her seasons with the Sackville Kingfishers – her high school team – and U17 Suburban United Football Club, had her first encounter with the CBU's women's soccer program while playing summer soccer.

"He came to one of our games," she remembers of Caper head coach Stephen 'Ness' Timmons, who left a great first impression on the center midfielder. "I knew that he was someone I would like to play for," Yuke says. Noting she hadn't known much about the Capers, she points out, "I knew more about the schools closer to home." Even though CBU is further away, Yuke says it is a fit with her desire to go to a university that isn't "super big."

Her decision to sign with the Capers was further solidified by her campus visit to Sydney on the opening weekend of the 2022 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) women's soccer season. "There was such a great vibe," Yuke says, recalling how easy it was to connect with CBU's coaching staff and student-athletes. She adds, "Right away, I felt like I was part of the team."

Timmons says Yuke is a "great young woman." "Libby has personality plus," he adds. When asked about the strengths of her game, Yuke talks about soccer IQ. "I think I see the game really well," she says, noting her ability to anticipate what is going to happen; being proactive rather than reactive. Yuke adds that her vision on the pitch helps deepen her understanding of the game. "I am also a strong passer and make good decisions," she notes.

Timmons – noting her ability as a center midfielder that can attack and defend – says Yuke possesses a "presence on the field." He adds that she is a "great distributor," who can also "strike the ball well from distance." As for making the jump to the university level, Yuke describes it as a "huge step above" any level of competition she has experienced. She adds players will not only be "bigger," but also – potentially – three or four years, or more, older. "It is going to be a challenge," Yuke says. Considering she is physically mature – and has experience playing senior soccer – Timmons offers, "It will help her adjust to play at the AUS level." He adds,

"We expect her contribute right away." In the classroom, she hasn't selected a field of study, but she knows her focus will be on math and science. "I still have no idea," she says, with a laugh, when asked about any career aspirations. Describing her as a "terrific student," Timmons says Yuke is, "Everything that we are looking for in a recruit." Yuke is counting the days until her first CBU training camp next summer, where she will don Caper orange.

"It is going to be an amazing experience."

-30-