Men's soccer student-athletes launch 'Shooting Stars' program to engage with students in the community.

All three teammates moved from outside the province to attend Dalhousie and were inspired to create something meaningful for their new community. Growing up, they each had influential mentors in sport and wanted to give students that same opportunity. 

At the beginning of 2023, after realizing how much more free time there was once the AUS season concluded, they spoke with men's soccer head coach, Alan Jazic, and assistant coach Wes Hawley, as well as former Tigers head coach Pat Nearing for advice on how to run the program. They advised the three to reach out to local elementary schools and run tournament style games. With this, Andrew, Ricky, and Isaac got to work planning. 

The first school they pitched their idea to was LeMarchant St. Thomas Elementary. After getting approval from Yvette LeBlanc and Kyle Smith, the school's gym teachers, they began running their weekly soccer sessions in January 2024. 

Shooting Stars was an immediate hit at Lemarchant. With high turnout and positive feedback, they began thinking about expanding the program in the following year.  

They spoke with Anton Berry – Dalhousie's Student-Athlete & Community Relations Advisor – who connected them with numerous local schools. While continuing weekly sessions at LeMarchant, they began expanding Shooting Stars to two other schools; Armbrae Academy and Inglis Elementary. They coordinated with the previous women's volleyball captain, Grace Calnan, along with her teammate Brooke Graham, to run weekly volleyball programs at Inglis Elementary School, proving popular among students. 

Shooting Stars served students with a wide range of skills, many of which were playing soccer for the first time. 

The range of experience amongst the children is vast, with many playing soccer for the first time. Shooting Stars hopes that providing an accessible sports program allowing the kids to grow in their confidence, physical literacy, and passion for sport.  

Andrew, Ricky, and Isaac said the culture on the Dalhousie men's soccer team is something they wanted to replicate in their weekly sessions. On their team, everyone has each other's backs and pushes one another to be the best version of themselves, on and off the pitch. This mindset is one of the reasons the Tigers were so successful this season, winning their first AUS championship since 2009. 

With tremendous responses from students, Shooting Stars were at their capacity. In 2025, there were close to 100 participants, across three schools on a weekly basis. This year, due to scheduling conflicts, they could only run the program at one school yet still included 50 students each week. 

Despite being varsity athletes in demanding academic programs, Shooting Stars are committed to using their free time in helpful ways. 

"For us, running a soccer program is not very strenuous and only takes a few hours out of our week," they said. "It is extremely rewarding to see such a positive impact on the community." 

Week-after-week their programs are at capacity, and Shooting Stars has motivated so many, even those who had never touched a soccer ball. Some students even declared they want to become varsity athletes when they're older, highlighting how inspiring Shooting Stars programs truly are.  

When scheduling conflicts arose, Andrew, Ricky, and Isaac relied on their teammates. When one of them couldn't attend, members of the men's soccer team stepped in to help, including Orion Wiersma, Cole Savage, and Kyle Routledge. 

A challenge they faced was ensuring everyone in the large groups engaged in a meaningful way. At times, some younger students become frustrated after losing a game, leading them to not want to play anymore. The leaders at Shooting Stars worked to find balance between giving students space while helping them feel included. Often, one of the leaders would leave the group and communicate with the students one-on-one until they felt ready to rejoin the group. 

Shooting Stars has not only given children the opportunity to have fun but has inspired them to pursue an active and healthy lifestyle.  

"Shooting Stars has been a huge hit with our students – they talk about it all week and can't wait to get into the gym on SOCCER DAY!! No matter their skill level, everyone feels successful and has an amazing time with the Dal student-athletes," gym teachers Yvett LeBlanc and Kyle Smith said. 

"Programs like this truly matter – they show young boys and girls what's possible and shoot for the stars both academically and athletically all while helping them build lasting friendships and memories. Our students also take pride in celebrating the achievements of Dalhousie's athletes, who serve as inspiring role models." 

Andrew, Ricky, and Isaac will be graduating this year, but there are several varsity athletes at Dalhousie who are keen to follow their lead.  

Amongst them are Tigers soccer rookies Nate Lechelt and Julia Simons, who both helped run the weekly sessions at LeMarchant this year and are motivated to continue the program. In addition Maeve McCloskey and Salley Steinberg on the women's soccer team have also shared their interest in continuing Shooting Stars. 

When asked about advice they would give other student-athletes who want to start something like Shooting Stars, they mentioned the importance of seeking mentorships and fostering clear communication between students, teachers, and those assisting in Shooting Stars. They also mentioned the importance of centering personal connections with those they are working with. 

"We hope our experience inspires other varsity athletes to do outreach in the community," they said. "We hope our story shows others that small actions can have a significant impact on others." 

Shooting Stars is a shining example of how student-athletes are using their platform to inspire the next generation.