By Sebastian Zucchet
At Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), it seems to be tradition to have alumni come back to coach the school’s varsity sports programs. Over the years, we’ve seen it across most of the eight varsity teams but this year, women’s soccer added their name to the list.
As the new season kicked off for the TMU Bold on Aug. 30, some familiar faces appeared on the team sheet for the squad’s home opener against the Trent Excalibur. Former players Alannah Musolino and Savahnna Robinson are back with the Bold, this time in a coaching and mentorship role.
Musolino and Robinson both graduated last season after five seasons with the Bold, with Musolino completing her undergraduate in criminology and Robinson in language and intercultural relations.
Lead assistant coach John Yacou spoke about the decision to bring the two former players onto the staff.
“They’re familiar with what we’ve been doing, they know the dynamics of the team, they’ve been here for a while and are well-liked by the team…instead of looking somewhere else to someone completely random, why not just bring in some of our own,” said Yacou.
Each coach has a specific role within the team. Musolino is taking on the role of team administrator off the pitch, while she is working with the goalkeepers on the pitch. As a goalkeeper herself, Musolino feels she can be of great help to new and returning goalkeepers on the roster.
“There is just a lot of knowledge that I can give the younger girls, especially those girls coming in,” she added. “I’ve been there, played that position so I have been in that role.”
According to Yacou, Robinson has more of a lead recruitment role. He explained that sometimes her current responsibilities don’t allow her to be with the team all the time.
“[She is] not with us as much as we would like her to be, but we understand,” said Yacou.
Musolino also finds herself trying to balance coaching, work and other aspirations off the field.
“I am currently working right now, but I am also taking the law road so I am studying for my Law School Admissions Test and considering law school but definitely continuing my studies,” she said.
“Instead of looking somewhere else to someone completely random, why not just bring in some of our own”
With both Robinson and Musolino being so experienced within the sport and the TMU program, it is natural to see their experience passed on to the team. Their knowledge is valuable to the young players, especially with a lot of the team being rookies this 2024 season. But it is also valuable to the upper-year players who took the pitch alongside them in the past.
Fourth-year midfielder *Emily Di Natale has seen the impact older players can have. She and Musolino have a close relationship and she recalls how the former goalkeeper supported her when she was a rookie on the team.
“[Musolino] took me under her wing when I was in first year, and I know I wouldn’t be where I am without her. She does a good job checking in with us individually to help the cohesion of the team,” she said in an email interview.
Di Natale is thrilled that the former players are back with the team in a coaching role. She explained just how important the pair are to the development of the team and how they can help the team achieve their goals.
“[Musolino and Robinson] have been able to provide important insight into both the coaching perspective and player mindset. Coming from a recent player background, they understand the game from a player point of view and can bring wisdom and knowledge,” said Di Natale.
Musolino said she was unsure about returning to the team at first but head coach Natalie Bukovec assured her that she was ready to take on this challenge and help shape the future of the TMU Bold women’s soccer team.
“She asked for my assistance based on confidence in me and belief that I could assist in mentoring the team in a positive way and give them someone to relate to,” said Musolino.
“[Musolino and Robinson] have been able to provide important insight into both the coaching perspective and player mindset”
The former goalkeeper said she knew she had to stay involved in soccer somehow and keeping Bold alumni involved is something very important to her.
“For me, it is so important that we do build that alumni association and we do have all those resources,” she said. “As someone who spent five years in the program as a player and now coming in as a coach, I can kind of bring a coach’s insight and perspective on how the player might be feeling in that moment and how something might affect their play.”
The team has set a goal to make a deep run into the playoffs this year and is aiming for nationals. With the additions of Robinson and Musolino, they look to be heading in the right direction—the players have figures they can look up to who they know have been in their position.
Now having taken on a new role in the “family,” Musolino sees a path forward for the squad.
“We’re not a team to mess with, and we’re not someone that other teams can walk all over.”
*Emily Di Natale is a fourth-year journalism student at Toronto Metropolitan University and she plays with the TMU Bold women’s soccer team.
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