This article was originally posted in the October 9 print issue. Read it here.
The Ooks men’s soccer team is looking to turn the tide after two consecutive second-place finishes, and team captain Peter Jones is central to that ambition. As the 2023/24 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) North Player of the Year, Jones brings skill and leadership to the field, inspiring his teammates to push for greatness. Under the guidance of head coach Jeff Paulus—who previously led the team to a national championship in 2011—Jones is determined to lead the Ooks to a title this season.
Jones was born into the sport of soccer; at five years old he already knew that soccer was his passion. “My dad played soccer, so it made it easy … I looked up to my dad, and I wanted to be like him.” Jones now plays at NAIT alongside his younger brother, Choosen—a relationship he appreciates. “He’s looking up to me. So, I have to lead by example … but he (Choosen) also knows what to do, he’s very talented himself.”
With the team losing gold for the second consecutive year, the road back to winning it all will be challenging. However, the Ooks Captain believes this season the team has learned from their past experiences and are ready to climb the mountain once more.
“We are more focused because we know what we have to do to get there again,” Jones said. “The last two seasons we have lost in the finals. So, we know we have to be locked in. We all have to be pursuing the same goal … together.”
The program has started the season on fire and were named as a top 15 school in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association men’s soccer rankings. Jones said that a crucial part of their early success is a result of the team’s community and brotherhood.
“I think we are brothers off the pitch, even at school, every day, we are all together … because we know if we want to be successful on the pitch, we have to have that friendship and brotherhood off the pitch as well.”
Jones is proud to be an Ook not only from the team’s “winning culture,” but because of the personal growth that has followed. He was once the person who “didn’t talk to anybody,” yet his coaches saw his potential and named him team captain. “The NAIT coaches have brought success that has really developed me as a person,” Jones explained.
The midfielder has accumulated a strong resume during his time in blue and gold, starting 23 games and winning the 2023/24 ACAC North Player of the Year. Still, Jones says that winning a championship is his number one priority. “It would be a dream to win for NAIT. All the individual accomplishments don’t really represent the team aspect,” he said. ”They pushed me, they’re the ones who made me win the Player of the Year. It’s not just by myself, it’s by the team as well.”
While Jones is thankful for the efforts of the team and coaches, he attributes all of his success to God and his faith.
“My faith is the foundation that I was built upon really. Everything I do is for the glory of God … sometimes I don’t feel like going 100 per cent, but I know I’m not doing it for myself; I’m doing it for Christ, I am doing it for my teammates, for my coaches and for NAIT as well. I have a lot of people to represent.”
Entering his final year, Jones is hungry to finally break through and win his first championship. With a young team, the captain recognizes he will play a pivotal role in guiding his squad—and rookies—through the regular and post-season.
“Coach always says, if you come to NAIT, you come here to win,” Jones explained. “We have a winning coach here; he tells us to do the right thing: stay out of the club, stop drinking during the season, focus on your goal … you have to sacrifice right now to win.”
As Jones and the Ooks begin their climb to the top, he believes the team has to keep the fire from the past two years alive if they want to raise another banner at the end of the season.
“We have to push them to also be hungry … we have lost two years in a row now and we can’t do that again, we have to get it this year!”
