BURNABY, BC -
Mamadi Camara is going to be even better as a sophomore.
That should be a terrifying prospect for every opponent the SFU Clan soccer team (5-0-0) will face this season, as the 6-3 forward dominated the conference in his debut campaign, scoring five goals and earning a First-Team All-GNAC nod.
To improve on that kind of season seems a daunting task, but Camara picked up some pretty notable training buddies over the summer.
"I wanted to stay here over the summer to take a course, and I got the chance to train with WFC2," recounted the forward, who hails from Montreal, QC. "It was a great experience. The pace, the discipline that they played and practiced with, it really drove home what it takes to make it at the next level."
Playing in the USL, and led by former Clan head coach Alan Koch, WFC2 have turned into a talent factory for Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Just this season, WFC2 standouts Alphonso Davies and Brett Levis signed Major League Soccer contracts.
Even surrounded by that kind of talent, Camara came out pretty satisfied with what he showed to Koch and his staff.
"I think I got a lot better over the summer, especially when it comes to my finishing," said the 21-year-old. "I think that's where the training is going to show off the most. By the end, I think I was holding my own, and I think I made an impression."
Considering Camara's highlight reel includes this goal from last season, imagining a 2016-17 version of the forward with better finish is tantalizing.
For Clan head coach
Clint Schneider, who watched a few of Camara's practices with WFC2, the thing that seems most different about his striker is in his decision-making on the pitch.
"He's got every tool you could ask for in a footballer, and him being around a professional training environment was great, because they get you to play quickly," noted Schneider. "You get punished if you don't react quick enough, if you don't adjust quick enough. That's one of the things that he can continue to work on, and I really hope he does, because his potential is near limitless."
Early returns have pointed that way, as Camara was the Clan's leading scorer over a 5-0-0 regional schedule, with his three goals and two assists demonstrating his dangerous all-around abilities as a playmaker.
Coming off that perfect preseason, Camara and the Clan will open their GNAC campaign at home against the Seattle Pacific Falcons (2-2-1), as the two sides are set to clash on Thursday, September 22 at 7:00 pm on Terry Fox Field.
"We're excited to finally get in a home game," said Schneider. "Seattle Pacific is a really good team, very well coached, but I've made sure that these guys know they have the ability to compete with any team in our region, and win against anybody. It'll come down to the way we do things, and the way we execute."
The Clan will close their opening weekend in Lacey, WA, as they are set to take on the Saint Martin's Saints (1-4-0) on Sunday, September 24 at 4:00 pm.
