The U of M Bisons women’s soccer team captain, Jessica Tsai, opened up about her final moments with the team. Oct. 18 marked the senior’s final game as a member of the herd.

Tsai talked about her experience as a student-athlete and being captain of the team.

The Manitoban: How would you describe your soccer career at the University of Manitoba?

Jessica: I think it’s been a ton of growth and a ton of development throughout the whole way. Not just necessarily on the field, but I feel like the person I came into the team as and the person I’m leaving the team as are just two very different people. I think I’ve grown a lot just as a person. And I’ve learned a lot about myself and kind of what I’m capable of in that time.
M: I’m looking at your career numbers. Seventy games played, 121 shots on goal, 27 assists. That is absolutely incredible. When you hear these numbers, how do you feel?

J: I mean, it definitely feels good. I’m a math major, so I love numbers. Having the statistics to kind of back up my career is always nice. Yeah, I think it’s a testament, kind of, to the work that I’ve put in, but also the work that my team’s put in throughout my entire time. I wouldn’t be able to get assists if people on my team weren’t scoring goals. I wouldn’t be able to score goals if people on my team weren’t passing me the ball. So, the numbers are nice to hear, and they’re definitely something I’ll remember for sure, but I don’t think they tell the whole story of my experience on the team.

M: These numbers are commendable, what really helped you to be able to have achieved these numbers?

J: Well, I think when I came into my first year, I definitely didn’t know what to expect, and my first season was when I put up the most points in a season. So, kind of from there on out, I had that marker, and then every year after that, it was definitely something that I was trying to achieve again. So, kind of having that set as a marker, in a way, it allowed me to kind of compete with myself and focus on my personal development and worry less about comparing myself to other players on other teams, that kind of thing as well. I came into the program, like I said before, just with a really open mind, and I think that kind of helped me to be able to process the whole experience instead of coming into it with specific expectations and maybe not necessarily reaching that. I think also from year to year, my goals individually and as a team have changed a lot, changed from year to year and what I was expecting of myself, and I think setting goals but also being able to change them as the years go on and adapt to what you want to set for yourself as goals.

M: You are the captain for the Bisons women’s soccer team. What will you say will be some of your memorable moments playing and leading the team as well?

J: One of my favourite moments from year to year is always that very first goal that we score as a team in the season. It’s always just the best energy, the best feeling, like everyone’s just screaming and coming together and hugging each other big. Those first goals scored in the season are always one of my favourite moments of the season for sure. It’s always nice to get big wins like this past season when we beat Alberta and we weren’t expected to do that, like that was a big win. Memorable moments, also the Duckworth games. I mean, playing against Winnipeg, our hometown rivals every year, like that always drums up a little bit of drama and a little bit of anticipation. But off the field too, I think seeing how close I’ve been able to grow with a lot of my teammates, like they’re my family. I have people on this team that I’m going to be friends with forever. I think that is probably the most memorable experience of it all.

M: It’s amazing being a student-athlete. How were you able to combine the two?

J: Definitely wasn’t easy. It takes a lot of practice, honestly. Like especially in your first year, it’s a little bit of a shock, especially because our season does fall at the very beginning of the school year. You kind of get thrown into everything all at once instead of being able to build into the school year, maybe have a pre-season. No, our season just starts as soon as school does, so it’s definitely a lot. Time management I think is a skill that any athlete will probably tell you is something that they’ve learned a ton throughout their career as a student-athlete. Being able to balance it, it takes a lot of practice. But I think also having a team full of people that are doing the exact same thing as you makes it a lot easier and you can definitely support each other in that way.

M: Looking at your career, what are the plans?

J: Well, after this, I mean within this next year, my biggest plan is to get my degree and finish off school strong. School has always been just as important to me as soccer is when it comes to being a student-athlete. So, I definitely want to make sure I give it my last best effort as well. But after that, I honestly haven’t thought too far ahead when it comes to soccer. What was most important to me going into this last season, I wasn’t worrying about what I wanted to do afterwards. I wanted to make sure that I enjoyed my last season and did my best to just live in the moment and not worry too much about what comes after. So, I definitely have to think a little bit more about what comes after. But in the time being, I’m going to keep doing some training on my own. I’ll be playing in the women’s league as well.

M: I have watched your games and I can see you enjoy playing, what motivates you to keep playing?

J: My team is one of my biggest motivators. They just make everything so fun. And I think just my love for the sport really keeps me going all the time. […] We wouldn’t be able to do what we do if we didn’t love what we were doing. And that goes kind of both for school and sports. It takes so much time and a lot of sacrifice to do it. But, I think at the core of it all, my love for soccer, my love for being on the field, being active, being around my teammates, my family, that’s what’s kept me going the whole six years here.

M: As captain, what would you say about the Bisons women’s soccer program?

J: I think being a captain has given me so many opportunities and it’s helped develop me personally. I’ve seen so much personal development in the past six years, like I mentioned. This program is so special and I think the people here are incredible. And so being able to lead the team for the past four years has honestly been my biggest honour, my biggest pride for sure. I think a lot of it you kind of just, when it comes to leadership especially, you kind of just get thrown into it and then kind of figure it out from there. But it also means so much to me that my team has supported me.

M: Any final words for the university community as well as Bisons fans, especially those who support the Bisons women’s soccer team?

J: I think for the people that support the team, you are supporting an amazing group of people, like not just players, but people as well. The people on this team, they’re going to go far in life, no matter what it is they decide to do. And the Bisons athletic community in general has been amazing for me the past six years. Besides the team, there are some really cool people, some really cool athletes on other teams. The staff that we have supporting us as well, in the gym and sports nutrition, they’re all here because they also love what they do. And I think when you’re in a community full of people that want to see each other succeed, that love what they’re doing and that puts the people at the core of it […] to see the people thrive, to see the people succeed — that has been instrumental in my growth and my success in my career.