Ferri to fill the centre-back spot for the CAPERS this fall

By IAIN KING

JOSTEN FERRI has always dreamed of "making it big" in soccer. Now the 21-year-old centre-back from Montreal is intent on defending the CBU CAPERS Men's program's goal with every shred he has.

The 6' 2" prospect, who will study Communications when he arrives on campus for pre-season training next month, was earmarked for success in The Beautiful Game from an early age and won a chance few Canadian players land with Mexican giants CF Pachuca.

"As a kid from the age of four I was in love with hockey and soccer and I played both at a high level until my parents told me to pick one, so I stuck with soccer," explains Josten. "I played AAA my whole life in Montreal and then when I turned 17, I had this huge opportunity to go to Mexico and train in the Academy of CF Pachuca. I went for a few weeks and would have stayed longer but my parents felt that I was a little young to leave home for a longer period. Nonetheless, it was an incredible experience!"

CAPERS Head Coach Deano Morley goes through an exhaustive recruitment process each summer before deciding which players will be given an offer to wear that famous jersey and defend the island's pride. For the class of 2025 there was no more important position than centre-back and no stone was left unturned in his search.

The end result is another top Canadian talent opting for CBU, one that began his quest dreaming of SCORING goals rather than denying them. "I feel I will bring both physicality and technical ability; I wasn't a centre-back all my life - I was trained to become one," smiles Josten. "I played striker a large portion of my life. I was banging goals and then I was a right-back but my coaches began evaluating my attributes and they told me I might profile better in the heart of defence, so I switched."

So what will Josten bring to the CAPERS program in the eyes of the coach who has signed him? "He is a strong, technical and intelligent footballer who has the potential to excel in our environment," says Deano. "He's focused on his academic journey and the supports we provide connected well to his educational ambitions."

"We are very excited to welcome Josten to Cape Breton, and I look forward to watching him work very hard and develop into a top Canadian centre-back. States Deano. "He is a brilliant addition to our family. During his visit I could sense his passion, and he showed real appreciation for the welcome he received and the kindness that was shown to him from everyone he met in the community. That humility stood out to me."

Josten made that recruitment visit to the island as he sized up one of the most important decisions of his life, where to further his education and his soccer journey. He saw Ness Timmons Field, the CBU Dome, the Hall of Fame, and soaked in the stories of those two U SPORTS National title wins in Coach Morley's tenure.

"The truth is that you guys won me over. I loved you as professionals when you outlined how we would train," he reveals. "I loved everything about the school, about the environment but the most important thing was the coaching staff as PEOPLE. I had options in front of me but once I visited Cape Breton I didn't care about them."

"You know what? This may sound a little crazy, but it really did remind me of Pachuca," admits Josten. "The locker rooms are beautiful and as a player you just get a sense that it truly MATTERS to the people there."

Those National triumphs of 2017 and 2023 are part of CAPERS folklore now. It's time for new headlines to be made. Josten is desperate to get started as part of the next chapter.

"It all made me want to come and help the CAPERS win the National Championship again. I'm not coming just to do one season. I want to come in and have an EFFECT. There's this great video of CAPERS winning Nationals on home soil in 2023, you watch it and you get goosebumps. I want a piece of that; I want to be Rookie of the Year."

For many teams losing just one game in a season and going out in the Conference semi-finals would be seen as a successful campaign. That's not how the CAPERS tick, though, that's not what the culture demands and the program's newest recruit recognised that the moment he walked through the door.

"Like Coach Deano I'm also very competitive. I don't want to go to a team that doesn't getting upset by losses. I don't like that," stresses Josten. "I got the sense that at Cape Breton everything that is not a win hurts, a tie is a disaster and that matches my mentality and how I was brought up as a player.

"The Gaffer has a way with words, and I could just tell how much he wanted me on his team. I saw this special bond he has with his coaching staff, the way they interact with humour - and then they talk soccer and their eyes light up!" shares Josten. "It's business and it's something I can't wait to be a part of."