Fourth-year police foundations student Chantal Spalla is captain for the Hawks women’s soccer team.
Spalla said her growth from her quiet first year to a vocal senior team leader reflects the growth and commitment that come from varsity soccer.
“At first I was the shy one, didn’t talk to anybody and kind of kept to myself,” Spalla said, adding her love for her role as captain. “Coming into this, being one of the few vets on the team, I love raising the rookies into a better environment,”
Born and raised in Mississauga, Ont., Spalla began her soccer journey in house league before she was scouted to play rep. She chose Humber, and credits longtime coach Marcelo Capozzolo for guiding her path.
“He was my coach throughout rep soccer, and I just wanted to follow him here,” Spalla said.
She has had many personal successes, tying her career high in goals with four and making the OCAA second all-star team. But Spalla said the team results matter most. This year, the Hawks finished fourth. While disappointing, Spalla said the finish paves the way for improvement.
“It didn’t go our way, but that just gives more room for growth,” she said.
Spalla confirmed she will be returning for another season, extending her Hawks career to a fifth year.
“It’s hard to leave Humber,” she said. “Humber’s home.”
Looking ahead, Spalla said she hopes to build a stronger team culture.
“I definitely want to implement more team-building activities,” Spalla said. “We know what our strengths are, we know what our weaknesses are, and we’ll work from that.”
