It's safe to say Trivine Esprit (Scarborough, Ont.), first-year midfielder for the Ridgebacks men's soccer team, grew up in a soccer family. Esprit has played since he was four years old and credited his father and older brother Tristan for inspiring him to play.
"Growing up and watching them play and how much they enjoyed the game influenced me. I feel like I've been kicking a ball since I could remember," said Esprit. "From age four to 13, my father has always been my coach. Learning from your dad is not something everyone can experience, so I appreciate him for putting in the extra work to get me to where I am."
Esprit is not the only member of his family who can call themselves a student-athlete. His older brother Tristan played soccer at Cornerstone University in Michigan, and his sister Trinity is currently a third-year defender for the Ottawa Gee-Gees women's soccer team.
"As a family, we would take that six-hour drive to watch Tristan's games every weekend and support him," he said. "My sister and I played a lot growing up. I can't remember a day when I didn't touch a ball. Whether it was at school or the multiple times my sister and I played at our separate clubs, we were always playing football."
Esprit and his sister would train three to four times weekly growing up. He credits her for motivating him to train hard and feels proud to be her brother.
"Whenever she was good at something growing up, I would always think, 'I'm going to do it better,' and I am sure she thought the same thing," said Esprit. "She is a brilliant player and has received many honours during her time with the Gee-Gees. I'm proud of her for all she's accomplished in her career."
Earlier this summer, when it came time for Esprit to choose a school, he felt Ontario Tech was his best option based on his familiarity with current members of the squad. Esprit had previously played with players like Chris Campoli (Woodbridge, Ont.), Justin Irwin (Pickering, Ont.), and Jacob Begley (Markham, Ont.).
"They kept insisting that I come to Ontario Tech. One day, I decided to come out to one of their training sessions," he said. "I got a tour from Justin and saw a great campus where everything seemed close together. I had a nice talk with Ramin, and he's such a great guy. It was after all of this I knew Ontario Tech was the best choice for me."
Esprit says his first year at Ontario tech went better than he imagined. He was named an OUA All-Star for his efforts on the field, and Esprit is beyond grateful for the honour.
"I don't even know where to start, honestly. It meant a lot to me. Being able to go out there and be recognized for what I've contributed to the team on the pitch felt amazing," he said. "I am happy with receiving this honour, but not content with it. I'm always striving for the next achievement in my career."
On December 15 he became the third Ridgeback player to be selected in the CPL-U SPORTS draft, being picked in the second round by York United.
After an impressive 11-1 regular season record, the Ridgebacks suffered a heart-breaking 2-1 penalty kick loss to the Nipissing Lakers in the OUA quarter-final. Esprit says this loss will stick with him.
"It's something that I honestly won't forget for a while. Knowing how the season came to an end and knowing we were capable of making it much farther into the championship is what hurts the most," he said. "That's football, though. It doesn't always go your way. How we move forward is what matters. It was an extremely tough game at the end of the day, but we had a good season and accomplished a lot."
While Esprit is still processing the early playoff exit, he knows the ending will be great motivation for next season.
"I know what I need to work on in the offseason, and I know the aspects of my game I'm going to improve. I know the season just ended, but I am already excited for next season. I guarantee the entire team is motivated and will be even more prepared when the time comes.
