Rattlers look for solid finish at Rustler hosted championships

From 2013-2018 the Medicine Hat College Rattlers women's futsal team captured the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women's Futsal banner five consecutive times.

Add to that one more, which came during the inaugural ACAC futsal campaign in 2010-2011.

That's six out- of- eight championships heading into last year's tournament held in Lethbridge.

It was there, in the south of the province, that Ambrose University Lions defeated The Kings University Eagles 3-1 for 2018-2019 gold.

The Rattlers did not medal in the nine-team tournament.

The only other school to capture six futsal titles is the Keyano College Huskies men:  2012-2016 and 2017-2019.

The Rattlers look to return to the podium as they head off to the 10th ACAC Men's and Women's Futsal Championships March 13 – 15, 2020 in Lloydminster, Alberta and hosted by the Lakeland College Rustlers.

In the 2019-2020 exhibition play, the Rattlers women were on the move with a record of 6 wins 1 tie and 1 loss.

They outscored their opponents by an impressive 41-15.

"The exhibition season has given us more confidence definitely and we are improving more-and-more as we train and we have some strong players," said Rattlers first-year men's and women's futsal/soccer coach Robert Cavicchia.

Cavicchia, a Brampton, Ontario native who played NCAA soccer for Syracuse University Orange (2005-2009) where he still holds several goalkeeping records, was an assistant coach last year for the Niagara University Purple Eagles men's soccer team.

This will be his first stint as a head coach at post-secondary futsal.

"Although it (futsal) is massive in Toronto now, when we played, it was more for training and pickup games...there was no real organized futsal."

Cavicchia said key players for the Rattlers include: Jadyn Fode (5'2", Midfield, 3rd, Combined High School/University Studies, Medicine Hat, Alberta), Kaylei Hole (5'7", Defense/Midfield, 3rd, Occupational Physical Therapist Assistant, Medicine Hat, Alberta) and Maisa Rebello (5'2",  Midfield, 1st, English for Academic Purposes, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil).

"Jadyn will be an important player for us as she is very technical and she has a hard work ethic.

"Kaylei, who is co-captain with Jadyn, is another tough player with some experience. She too shows a lot of work ethic.

"Maisa, being Brazilian, futsal is one of their top games and she is very technical and she had her first fall session with us (outdoor soccer) and had a few goals (4 in 10 games). Everybody will contribute."

"Things have changed a bit since (2017-2018 last Rattlers futsal banner). We would like to live up to that (six banners record) and hopefully bring home another futsal championship."