OTTAWA, Ontario – The 2021 soccer season is a very special moment in the career of Scott Mazzotta, a senior majoring in finance, at Carleton University in Ottawa. Mazzotta, who started his journey for the Ravens in 2017, plays what can be his last college season and he has high expectations for his team.
Mazzotta was born and raised in Ottawa. He said soccer has been part of his life since he was 9 years old. According to him, he was a very competitive kid and soccer was the first competitive sport which he played.
The Canadian played most part of his life at the Gloucester Soccer Club in Ottawa, the same club where Jonathan David, one of the stars from the Canadian National Soccer Team, played earlier in his career.
When he was already older and ready to start his college life, Mazotta said Kwesi Loney, Ravens soccer coach, showed interest and wanted the young player to be part of his team. For the player, the fact the coach invited him to play for Carleton University was a huge factor in his decision. Also, he said the short distance from his house and some of his friends going to the same college as he well were major influences on his choice.
“It was also in my hometown and good friends and teammates of mine Ricky Comba and Junior Asare were also joining the team at the same time,” he said. “Being able to attend university and still live at home was a bonus.”
His team is something which the left winger speaks with about with passion and pride. According to Mazzotta, the experience at Carleton has been extremely fun and fulfilling.
“I have met some lifelong friends on the team,” he said. “The Carleton soccer program focuses on turning 17-18 years old guys into respectable young men by the time they’re finished, and I believe it has done that for me.”
Throughout the years, the student-athlete had reached the top seeds in the Ontario University Athletics conference. The Ravens were runners-up in 2017 and 2018, when they lost both conference finals to York University.
But in 2019, they were able to win the title against the same team which they had lost the two previous years. According to Mazzotta, he could not realize what he had done in the moment they were champions, but this title will have a big meaning for him in the future.
Last year, none of the soccer college teams in Canada were able to play their conference matches because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The player said last year was a difficult year, but he explained he took advantage of the situation and used it to focus on school.
Being a senior means being one of the most experienced players in the squad. The 2021 season could be his last season as a college soccer player, and he said he will do anything he can to see his team succeed.
“There are only a couple young guys this year a lot of the signings are similar in age to me. But for the newer ones you can just give them tips here or there about life at university in general,” he said.
The journey for the Ravens starts this Friday, Sep. 24, when they play Queens University at 7:30 p.m. at The Ravens’ Perch.
“We are hosting the nationals, so I expect us to win it all,” he said.
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