After World Cup, rising soccer star returns to B.C. school to inspire students
Fresh from representing Canada at the World Cup in Qatar, rising soccer star Joel Waterman made a triumphant return to the Fraser Valley high school he graduated from to share some inspiring words with current students.
"It's impossible to know what the pathway to success is going to look like. But what I do know is the blueprint is written across these walls," he said during an assembly at Aldergrove Community Secondary School. "Dream, believe and achieve."
For Waterman, it's been a long way to the top of the Canadian soccer landscape.
Following five seasons playing for Trinity Western University, he spent time with three different minor league clubs before advancing to Major League Soccer where he now patrols the back line as a defender for CF Montreal.
"It's like I told the kids, stay disciplined and committed to whatever dreams you have," Waterman said. "There's going to be no's along the way, people who tell you that you can't do it. That's just the way life is. Just keep doing your thing and working hard."
That story of perseverance resonated with many of the teenagers who are just now trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives.
"Even though you're from a small town you can make it up there," said Grade 11 basketball player Ibrahim Arram. "You can be a pro. It doesn't matter where you're from."
At the assembly where Waterman addressed the students, the school announced it will hang his Canada Soccer jersey on the school's athletics wall of honour.
"Things like this don't happen often in Aldergrove. We're a pretty small school and a pretty small community," said Grade 12 student Eshveer Gill about meeting a local who plays for Team Canada.
As he continues to follow his passion on the pitch wherever it may take him, Waterman remains grateful for his brief trips home to see family and friends – and to visit the school that nurtured and guided him.
"I look at those kids and I see myself, knowing that I sat in those same bleachers and listened to people speak on their dreams," Waterman said. "And now I can be one of those people for them."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau appears unwilling to expand proposed rebate, despite pressure to include seniors
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau does not appear willing to budge on his plan to send a $250 rebate to 'hardworking Canadians,' despite pressure from the opposition to give the money to seniors and people who are not able to work.
'Mayday!': New details emerge after Boeing plane makes emergency landing at Mirabel airport
New details suggest that there were communication issues between the pilots of a charter flight and the control tower at Montreal's Mirabel airport when a Boeing 737 made an emergency landing on Wednesday.
Cucumbers sold in Ontario, other provinces recalled over possible salmonella contamination
A U.S. company is recalling cucumbers sold in Ontario and other Canadian provinces due to possible salmonella contamination.
Latest updates: Tracking RSV, influenza, COVID-19 in Canada
As the country heads into the worst time of year for respiratory infections, the Canadian respiratory virus surveillance report tracks how prevalent certain viruses are each week and how the trends are changing week to week.
Weekend weather: Parts of Canada could see up to 50 centimetres of snow, wind chills of -40
Winter is less than a month away, but parts of Canada are already projected to see winter-like weather.
Atlantic hurricane season comes to an end, leaving widespread damage in its wake in U.S.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close Saturday, bringing to an end a season that saw 11 hurricanes compared to the average seven.
Armed men in speedboats make off with women and children when a migrants' dinghy deflates off Libya
Armed men in two speedboats took off with women and children after a rubber dinghy carrying some 112 migrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean Sea started deflating off Libya's coast, a humanitarian aid group said Friday.
Federal government posts $13B deficit in first half of the fiscal year
The Finance Department says the federal deficit was $13 billion between April and September.
W5 Investigates A 'ticking time bomb': Inside Syria's toughest prison holding accused high-ranking ISIS members
In the last of a three-part investigation, W5's Avery Haines was given rare access to a Syrian prison, where thousands of accused high-ranking ISIS members are being held.