South Mountain’s Tala Brant-Berry says she feels honoured to have a chance to represent Ontario’s Indigenous Community at next month’s North American Indigenous Games.
The teenager will be a goalkeeper on Team Ontario’s under-19 women’s soccer team. The Games run from July 15 to 23 in Nova Scotia.
“It’s a huge honour and privilege, it’s very exciting but stressful, since I’m representing Ontario,” she says. “But it’s very exciting. Lately, I’ve been training, minimum, four times per week.”
Brant-Berry says that training involves a mix of team practices, exhibition games and individual goalkeeping sessions.
She says she’s thankful for her family, who’ve logged lots of hours taking her to games and practices, as well as coaches who’s supported her through her “journey” as a soccer player.
She started playing in Timbits soccer programs at age 5 but began playing in more competitive leagues as she got older. Brant-Berry now also plays for the Gloucester Hornets Under-17 girls’ team.