Women’s Soccer
Top 8 Academic All-Canadians honoured at the Citadelle of Québec
Throughout the 2017-18 season, U SPORTS sits down with one key athlete, coach, and staff member of each U SPORTS athletic program in our new interview series “Getting to know…”
Name: Ciera Disipio
School: Cape Breton University
Sport: Soccer
Position: Midfielder
Year of eligibility: Third
Program: BACS
Hometown: Ottawa, Ont.
- What attracted you to Cape Breton University?
I was first introduced to head coach Ness Timmons in Grade 9 when he talked to my team at a showcase tournament in Toronto. The following year at the same tournament, I had the opportunity to talk to him after a game. Ever since, he was very persistent with his recruiting. In Grade 12, when I came for my visit, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the atmosphere of the small campus and class sizes. The school was very unique to me, but it also had everything I was looking for. In my first year, it didn’t take long to realize that CBU felt like a second home. The small student population made it very easy to meet incredible people from all over the world, and I was able to develop friendships with other athletes and students that I won’t soon forget.
- What’s your favourite memory, and your greatest athletic achievement as a U SPORTS student-athlete?
My favourite memory is winning the AUS championship in Moncton my first year (2015). Nothing really compares to the first time you get to win a championship with your team. Since the start of training camp, all of the veteran players were talking about AUS, so there was a lot of hype around it but I was not exactly sure what to expect. My first AUS experience was everything I could have imagined, and more. My greatest athletic achievement was the opportunity to play in a national final this past season. Although it wasn’t the outcome we hoped for, just getting to the final was a triumph our women’s team hasn’t reached for 10 years.
- Where are you hoping your path will take you after university?
Playing at the next level is definitely the ‘dream,’ but I still have a few years of eligibility left so I would like to see what these next few seasons have in store. I am also looking towards completing my masters at the University of Ottawa, so as of right now, that is my plan.
- Who’s had the greatest influence on your athletic career?
My family is very close knit, so most of my influence comes from my parents and two older sisters. Although I play because I love soccer, family is very important to me, so I always keep them in the back of my mind.
I have taken something from every coach I’ve had, but my dad has definitely had the greatest influence on my athletic career. Ever since I was a younger player, my dad was always there pushing me to be a better version of myself. Now, he reminds me that this experience is a privilege and to never take it for granted. I love seeing my parents happy and proud, and doing so through playing soccer is what keeps me going.
- Who is someone in the sports world, past or present, with whom you’d love to have dinner with? Why?
There are so many great athletes let alone soccer players, to choose from, but I have to go with Pele. He brought a technical aspect to the game that can be rivaled by no other. As a kid he played with whatever objects he could kick, and soon became one of the greatest soccer players of all time. Although I have seen his movie on Netflix (which I strongly recommend), I would love to sit down and hear about his journey.
- What is your pre-game ritual? Do you have any superstitions/idiosyncrasies around preparing yourself for a game?
I am very superstitious. My pregame rituals depend on if it’s a home or away game as well because of the different atmospheres. However, I would say my most consistent one from last season was eating dark chocolate before every game.
- What’s your go-to song to get pumped up for practice or a game?
I like to stay relatively calm before games, so my go to music is anything by The Lumineers. They’ve always been my favorite, so I never get sick of their music.
- What’s your favourite social media account to follow?
I really love Indi Cowie’s Instragram. She’s a professional soccer freestyler who played for North Carolina. She is by far one of the most talented female freestylers I’ve seen, and I really enjoy watching her videos.
- If you could try another sport, what would it be and why?
Although I would probably wouldn’t last 30 seconds, I would love to try boxing. I have a lot of respect for any athlete whose sport involves physical contact as a key aspect. Growing up my dad watched a lot of boxing, and my sisters and I would play-fight, but being the youngest, I never did very well. I have also never played an individual sport so I think that would be very interesting to try.