A knee injury sidelined Isaac Koch last season but the West 麻豆精选 soccer star has come back with a vengeance this year playing for the University of Victoria.
The former Mt. Boucherie Secondary star was named the 2019 Canada West Player of the Year in late October after tallying 17 points in the season and leading the Vikes to the Canada West playoffs.
Koch and UVic were bumped out in the semi-finals, but the season鈥檚 success was not lost in the shuffle.
鈥淭his time last year, I was eight days away from surgery, we were still wondering if I was even going to play this year,鈥� said Koch.
鈥淚t feels awesome to come back and to be able to contribute like this.鈥�
READ MORE: Okanagan College Coyotes start basketball season with history-making 4-win weekend
Now with his fourth year of university eligibility completed and a potential step ahead of him towards playing in the new Canadian Premier League (CPL), Koch is weighing the options of where the sport he loves will take him next.
Koch could chose to return to UVic for his fifth and final year or he could see if his name is called at the upcoming CPL draft, which will select nearly 15 Usports athletes for invitation to Canadian pro team training camps.
Koch鈥檚 recently-won Player of the Year award puts him among the top five players of the 2019 class.
Despite the seemingly tough choices ahead of the soccer star, the uncertainty hasn鈥檛 been phasing.
鈥淚f soccer is going to happen, it will happen,鈥� said Koch.
鈥淭hat year I took off because of injury made me realize how much soccer means to me, but it also made me realize that there鈥檚 more to life than soccer and I don鈥檛 need to worry about what鈥檚 next.鈥�
鈥淭his past year was a lot of fun not having to worry about my injuries and I鈥檓 excited to see what the opportunities will be like.鈥�
READ MORE: Former West 麻豆精选 soccer star named Canada West Player of the Year
With nine goals and eight assists this year, Koch鈥檚 end of season awards also included being named to the Usports All-Canadian First-Team as a first-time captain for the Vikes.
Like a true and confident athlete, Koch feels like he has the ability to put up almost 20 points every season.
That UVic semi-finals loss in the playoffs has lit a fire under Koch as he prepares for the next steps, be them in the CPL or Usports.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 feel like I accomplished enough and I want to bring UVic to Nationals,鈥� he said.
鈥淩egardless of what happens, I鈥檒l want to play my fifth year with Victoria and captain the team again and be a leader to our good, young players.鈥�
An invitation to a CPL pre-season camp, which could come draft day on Nov. 11, could change where the aspiring pro will be playing.
READ MORE: Rockets look to retain crown with Royals rematch
Be it the Canadian Premier League or another year at the University of Victoria, Koch has realized that his future within the game is owed to his local roots.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be here now if it wasn鈥檛 for Okanagan programs and the Penticton PCSL team when I was in Grade 12,鈥� he said.
鈥淭hat made the jump from youth soccer to university not as big a step as I owe a lot of my soccer to playing and being in the Okanagan.鈥�
The CPL, Canada鈥檚 top league system, is chalk full of former Usports players.
Players that Koch has played against and if his name is called on Nov. 11, he鈥檚 confident that he can make the jump.
鈥淜ind of cool seeing players I鈥檝e played against at that level,鈥� Koch said.
鈥淚f they can do it, so can I.鈥�
To report a typo, email:
newstips@kelownacapnews.com.
@麻豆精选CapNews
newstips@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
