Anna Oliver, graduating captain of the Huskie women’s soccer team, reflects on her seven years with the program.

Journey to the Huskies

Anna Oliver, a graduate in Kinesiology now pursuing a master’s in Community Health and Epidemiology, joined the Huskies women’s soccer team back in 2019.

Growing up in Saskatoon, she was always heavily involved in sports, with a love for soccer, basketball and volleyball.

“I had really positive experiences in all three sports. But then, when it came to Grade 12, I knew I had to make a decision. I wanted to pursue sports at the university level. It just so happened that I had a really bad concussion in Grade 12 and missed the basketball season. That whole year I only did soccer, so it just made sense to go forward with it.”

Oliver wanted to stay close to home and already had a connection with Huskies head coach Jerson Barandica-Hamilton through the Jr. Huskies program.

“He invited me to train with the Huskies a couple times, and those trials went well. He saw some potential and offered me a spot when I was in Grade 12.”

Injuries and Bouncing Back

But Oliver’s first year did not go as planned. Before the season began, Oliver tore her ACL, MCL, LCL, meniscus and shattered her kneecap all at once.

“There was the mental toll of coming into my first year and pretty much accepting it as a write-off. I wasn’t going to be able to play, and that’s gonna affect my ability to integrate into the team and maybe even make friendships. But I remember Jerson told me this would be a blessing in disguise. At the time, you don’t believe that, but it lit a fire under me.”

Oliver didn’t want to just sit around and be injured.

“I took all of the physio really seriously, and just really took any opportunity I could to work on fitness and strength and get back.”

The setback also helped her grow mentally. “In high school, I had such bad performance anxiety. I just wanted to do so good that anytime I messed up, it would cause me to shut down. After that year-long recovery, I came back thinking, I don’t care whether I’m good [or] whether I’m terrible. No one has any expectations for me because I’ve been out for so long. I just want to play.”

Her resilience paid off. Oliver finished her first season having started all 14 regular-season games and earning a Canada West second-team all-star nod.

For two years, Oliver remained a regular starter, and in 2023, the Huskies reached the final four after beating UBCO in the quarterfinals. But during the bronze medal match against Victoria, adversity struck again.

“I felt and heard a snap, but I didn’t feel pain. I knew something was wrong.”

Despite the injury, she finished the game, helping the Huskies win their second-ever Canada West bronze medal. Initially, doctors didn’t suspect an ACL tear but later scans told a different story.

“When I got the MRI that said it was my ACL, I was devastated because by now I’d played three solid years and couldn’t imagine going back to what I’d done in my first year—being out for 16 months.”

But Anna felt strong and physically stable, and with support from therapists, she decided to see how far she could push it. 

“I think it was just maybe a little bit delusional, but [I was] believing in myself, trusting my body and listening to myself.”

Oliver chose to pursue recovery without surgery and has since played two full seasons without having to miss a game due to injury.

Reflecting on her journey, Oliver emphasizes perspective.

“My first [advice] would probably be not to catastrophize things so much. In the moment, it’s easy to think your entire world is over. Soccer was my world, and now I can’t play. But I learned to take things day by day and celebrate the small steps.”

Her resilience on the field also translated into leadership off it.

A Humble Captain

Oliver’s leadership emerged in her third year when teammates unanimously voted her onto the leadership group.

“I was still young, leading people older than me. I took a backseat, led by example and hoped people followed. By my fourth and fifth year, Jerson wanted me to take a more active role. I learned you can set the best example, but some people don’t want to follow. At some point you need to be more vocal, set standards and have hard conversations.”

A humble leader, Oliver doesn’t like to wear the captain’s armband.

“I do value being a captain. I am super grateful that my teammates [and] my coaches saw me in that role, but it also doesn’t mean anything to me. At the end of the day, myself and all of my teammates are equal, and it’s just a formality that I have to wear the band.”

She adds, “Just because I can win a coin toss means nothing.” (Oliver impressively wins an estimated 80% of coin tosses, far above the 50/50 odds.)

Her leadership has helped shape team culture which is rooted in ten standards developed in Oliver’s first year. They emphasize not only being a good player but also a good teammate and person.

“I really value that this team puts such an emphasis on not only the type of athlete you are, but also the type of person you are. How you’re doing in the classroom and in the community, and just like the type of person or day-to-day [which] puts more value on the players that aren’t just the starting 11.”

She adds, “The culture and the people you surround yourself with make a difference. It makes wins sweeter and losses harder when you’re really rallying for everyone around you.”

Commitment to Community Service

Beyond the field, Oliver has been deeply involved in community service. She’s worked with Crohn’s and Colitis, Special Olympics, Ronald McDonald House and other organizations, which reflect her passion for volunteering and giving back.

She currently serves as VP of Community Engagement for the Huskie Athletic Council and her leadership extends to initiatives like the Huskie Women’s Soccer Goal-a-thon, where each goal scored translates into an act of service. With her volunteer connections, Oliver plays a major role in organizing the dozens of acts of service the team completes after each season.

In 2024, her efforts earned her recognition at the highest level. 

Barandica-Hamilton nominated Oliver for the Canwest Community Service Award, which takes into account academic success, athletic performance and community involvement. She ended up winning, which then put her in contention for the nationwide U Sports award.

“Jerson took me to Halifax, didn’t tell me to prepare a speech and I ended up winning.”

This became the first time a player from the Huskie women’s soccer team had won a major individual U Sports award.

Becoming the All-Time Minutes Leader

This season, Oliver made history again by becoming the Huskies’ all-time minutes leader, recording 5905 minutes—an achievement she never imagined when first joining the team.

“I guess it just goes to show all the work behind the scenes I did to make myself strong and consistent enough to do that. I’m not taking any opportunities for granted. Being injured reminds you of what you’re passionate about. It goes from, ‘I have to be here,’ to, ‘I get to be here.’”

She notes that the recognition was especially meaningful, considering her position.

“As a defender. I’m not going to be on goal-scoring sheets, so something like that to remember my time is really cool. I appreciate the trust my teammates and coaches had in me to play all those minutes.”

Reflections and Memories

Oliver reflects fondly on both the big wins and the everyday memories.

Defeating Calgary in penalty kicks in 2021 and beating UBCO in the 2023 quarterfinal to proceed to winning Canwest bronze are obvious highlights. But she emphasizes the smaller moments with teammates as equally meaningful, such as just being in the team room or the team’s dance circle. She’ll also miss the level of competition that comes with being a U Sports athlete.

Her final game came in this year’s quarterfinal against UBC, a hard-fought match where the Huskies dropped a narrow 0–1 decision to the top-ranked Thunderbirds.

“Had I been done in my true fifth year, I probably would have had more of an identity crisis and been more devastated. But not many people get the opportunity to be with this team for seven years. It was still a tough pill to swallow, looking around the room, knowing I won’t play with these people again. But I’ve taken so much away from this team that I can be proud of myself, grateful for the experiences and ready to be [a] supporter for the next generation.”

For now, she offers this advice to younger players.

“At the end of the day, you can’t control coaches’ decisions or how others play, but you can control your work rate, communication [and] the type of person you are in the locker room. If you focus on doing one good thing a day, versus all the things that you can’t control, that’s so important to your growth. Also, approach everything with gratitude. Not everyone gets this opportunity to play at the university level.”

Gratitude and Thank-Yous

Oliver is quick to acknowledge those who shaped her journey.

She wants to thank Huskie women’s soccer head coach Barandica-Hamilton, for seeing her potential and instilling confidence in her from a young age. 

She is also grateful to coach Abumere Okonofua for “always being such a hard ass on [her]” and reminding her to always keep pushing. 

She credits coach Amy Prokop for being “the most supportive person ever and pivotal in the team’s culture.”

She also values coach Sam Martin for what he has done for the team in terms of injury prevention and “giving me reassurance that what I’m doing behind the scenes doesn’t go unnoticed.”

And of course, she wants to thank all of her teammates.

“I couldn’t reflect on the success I’ve had, but also just the experience I’ve had without everyone that’s been a part of my journey from first year all the way to fifth year. I’ve valued all of the relationships that I’ve had with everyone and all the opportunities for growth and just the laughs and the good times.”

Looking forward

Oliver intends to finish her master’s thesis, a secondary analysis of the Neural Health Project examining what differentiates participants’ results in its study of integrative versus standard approaches to treating depression. At the same time, she is exploring physician’s assistant programs and keeping her options open for other healthcare opportunities. 

She continues to enjoy her full-time role as a Residential Team Leader at Light of the Prairies, where she provides day-to-day support to individuals with intellectual disabilities living in a group home environment. She also looks forward to more time for herself and her family, and to do some travelling. 

As Oliver turns the page to focus on her career and personal life, her years with the Huskies remain a defining chapter. Oliver leaves behind a legacy of resilience, leadership and humility. An exemplary captain, she will be greatly missed, but her impact will continue to shape the Huskies women’s soccer team for generations to come.