When Soccer Nova Scotia scouts chose New Glasgow's Olivia MacDonald to try out for the provincial U13 team, she was a bit hesitant.
With so many girls from the Halifax region vying for a spot on the team she considered her chances of making the cut slim.
She quickly proved to the team and herself that wasn't the case. She not only made the cut from a pool of 60 elite players who tried out, but she was named co-captain. She was the only girl from outside Halifax who made the team.
During the Atlantic Championships in Newfoundland over the weekend she scored two goals to help her team on their path to gold. Her team shut out every other team at the tournament.
Olivia wasn't the only representative from Pictou County at the championships. Devin Cook from Green Hill played on Team Nova Scotia's U13 boys team, which also won gold.
Getting to the podium was no easy task, however.
Both players had to practise with Team Nova Scotia throughout the winter.
The players had to go one evening a week for practice and then for one weekend a month as well.
"It was a lot of driving," Olivia said.
It also opened up opportunities for travel out of Nova Scotia. Both teams got to go to a tournament in Maine and Massachusetts earlier this spring.
It was a good preparation for Atlantics, she said. But then so was playing for her local Highland Knights team which Olivia and Devin continued to do in spite of their busy provincial team schedule.
Playing on a provincial team is different from playing locally though, Olivia said.
"It's a lot more intense than just league playing," she said. "It keeps me more in shape and more interested."
She also loves being able to play soccer for her province.
"I was out practising even if I didn't have to go to practice," she said. "I was always out in the yard kicking the ball around. It's a lot of fun."
There's something about competitive soccer that appeals to her.
"I love the passion about it," she said. "I love feeling free when you're playing it. It's just a lot of fun."
Playing at the Atlantic Championship was busy but fun.
The first and last team that the U13 girls played against was P.E.I.
"They were our toughest team to play against," Olivia said.
But even they were unable to score against the powerful Nova Scotia team as they lost 2-0 in both the first and championship game. The Nova Scotia girls also beat New Brunswick 8-0 and Newfoundland 5-0.
The boys did well too, shutting out three of their four opponents and only losing one game during the weekend as they went on to win gold.
Olivia's only regret is that the season is over now.
"I wish it didn't end," she says.
