CBFC'S AVA MacDONALD LANDS TOP SOCCER NOVA SCOTIA AWARD

AVA MacDONALD has been named the Soccer Nova Scotia Youth Performance Player of the Year for 2023.

The Cape Breton FC prospect sparkled with Head Coach Mitch Hanna's U15AAA Girls in their debut season in Tier One in Nova Scotia Soccer League (NSSL).

Operating either as an attacking midfielder or a striker Ava claimed 10 goals in 21 games and was a key part of the drive to the Provincial Final Four for a team who also have Assistant Coaches Damien Barry and Becky Hanna as guiding influences.

Ava, who was scheduled to be in Halifax this weekend in any case for a Canada Games training camp, will now have a double reason to celebrate as she will pick up her award at the SNS Night of Excellence event tonight (Saturday December 2).

Head Coach Mitch, who is also an Assistant Coach with the CBU women's program and will now guide the girls at U17AAA level next summer, said: "Ava had an outstanding season and what I love about her is the energy and desire she brings to every practice or game she takes part in.

"She is hugely coachable and desperate to learn and all through her youth soccer career she has often had to overcome the obstacle of being the only Cape Breton player at Provincial try-outs or tournaments.

"Ava doesn't let that faze her and has continued to represent the island with pride at the highest levels. Yet she does that with her key qualities of humility and an admirable work ethic.

"It's great now that we are producing more Cape Breton players to be considered alongside her at these levels. We are all thrilled for the recognition Ava has received with this award and everyone within the Academy is very proud of her."

This weekend the SNS selectors will look at 45 players as they bid to whittle down the Nova Scotia Canada Games squad for 2025 and CBFC has FIVE players in the shake-up.

Ava, left winger Ella Barry and their club mates Sophia Peach and Charley Sawlor are at the Camp and they will be joined by a new signing in goalkeeper Sadie Delorey.

Sadie has been nurtured by her coaches at North Nova into a provincial level keeper and will move to CBFC to play Tier One soccer next summer.

* OUR picture shows Ava MacDonald (left) with fellow CBFC prospect Ella Barry as they geared up for this weekend's Canada Games Camp in Halifax.