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SYDNEY, N.S. —

Sitting on the sidelines watching his teammates have success on the field was difficult for Charlie Waters, but not because he wasn’t happy for them.

The Cape Breton Capers forward was forced to miss the entire 2018 Atlantic University Sport soccer season after having surgery for a torn ACL prior to the start of the year.

At the time, the Blackpool, England, native was coming off a successful 2017 season with the club, where he scored eight regular season goals and recorded 12 points in 11 contests.

Waters would later be named the AUS rookie of the year and was a first-team all-star.

Despite not playing, Waters continued to be positive and encouraged his teammates throughout the season, which saw the club eventually win the AUS title for the third consecutive year.

“An injury like that can be lonely at times,” said Waters. “You don’t feel as part of the team because you’re not playing on the pitch, but you’re still around the club and showing them support.”

Waters admits it was a different perspective for him, a side of the game he wasn’t used to seeing.

“It was frustrating at times, but I knew I had to be there for the team and I knew had to try to be as positive as I could, but I really wanted to be out there playing and enjoying the success too.”

“An injury like that can be lonely at times.” -- Charlie Waters

Waters had successful surgery in June 2018 for the torn ACL and after several months returned to training in mid-March with the hopes of being prepared for the 2019 season.

“It was consistent recovery for the full year,” said Waters. “Basically, I was sitting around, encouraging the boys, and patiently waiting until the time was right to come back.

“I started my training with the team and getting a little bit more involved prior to the end of the school year, and I went back home and continued to rehab, running as much as I could.”

Today, Waters is back on the pitch and once again suiting up for the Capers men’s team, hoping to help his club find success in the AUS and beyond.

Charlie Waters is in his second season with the Cape Breton Capers men’s soccer team. The Blackpool, England, native has returned to the pitch this season after missing the entire 2018 campaign with a torn ACL. VAUGHAN MERCHANT/CAPE BRETON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

“I’m happy to be back in the game – my main goal was getting on the pitch this season,” said Waters. “I’d like to score a few more goals and hopefully hit the mark I did in my first year.”

This season, Waters has appeared in five games for the Capers. He recorded a hat trick in Cape Breton’s 4-2 win over the Saint Mary’s Huskies last Friday.

Waters hopes the three-goal performance will be a turning point in his season offensively.

“I sort of recaptured a bit of my form in that game and hopefully I can start putting in more performances like that,” said Waters.

“The coaching staff and I have been working together to make sure that I’m not overdoing my fitness training because we don’t want to push it too much, but I’m feeling strong and I think that’s a good sign.”

In an interview with the Cape Breton Post earlier this month, Capers head coach Deano Morley spoke highly of Waters’ return to the team’s lineup.

“I’ve been around the CIS and U Sports since 2004 and he’s the best striker I have ever seen play in Canada at the U Sports level,” said Morley.

“There hasn’t been a better player than Charlie Waters in university sport as a forward – I think if he can get himself healthy that will extend on whatever level he goes and plays.”

Although he feels his game has improved since the start of the season, Waters admits there are times when he thinks about the injury on the field.

“You always think about little things, but a lot of it is mentally, so you have to put it in the back of your brain and get on with it,” said Waters, noting it took a few games to adjust to being back playing.

“I don’t really think about the injury too much to be honest, I just try to stick to the game plan the team has and try to help the club as best as possible.”

Waters and the Capers (5-0-1) will return to the pitch Saturday when they host the Moncton Aigles Bleus at 5:15 p.m. at the Cape Breton Health Recreation Complex on the CBU campus.

Cape Breton enters the game first overall in the AUS standings with 16 points. As for Moncton (1-2-1), they sit eighth in the 10-team league with four points and are coming off a 2-0 loss to the UPEI Panthers last Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Capers women’s team (5-1-0) will also be in action Saturday. The team will host Moncton (2-1-1) at 3 p.m. at the Cape Breton Health Recreation Complex.

Cape Breton is tied for first place in the league with the undefeated Acadia Axewomen (5-0-0) with 15 points. As for the Aigles Bleus, they sit fifth in the standings with seven points.

Twitter: @CBPost_Jeremy

WEEKEND PREVIEW:

Women:

Cape Breton Capers vs. Moncton Aigles Bleus

Capers:

- Record: 5-1-0, 15 points

- Goals For: 17

- Goals Against: 2

- Streak: One loss

Aigles Bleus:

- Record: 2-1-1, 7 points

- Goals For: 4

- Goals Against: 5

- Streak: One win

Men:

Cape Breton Capers vs. Moncton Aigles Bleus

Capers:

- Record: 5-0-1, 16 points

- Goals For: 18

- Goals Against: 3

- Streak: Three wins

Aigles Bleus:

- Record: 1-2-1, 4 points

- Goals For: 6

- Goals Against 7

- Streak: One loss

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Veteran Capers look to put national championship loss behind them heading into 2019 AUS season