The Simcoe County Rovers are training diligently for the upcoming League1 ON season and have a busy pre-season schedule set, one meant to set the tone for what lies ahead in the coming months.
The Rovers Men will play no less than nine preseason friendlies between February and April, including matches against professional sides TFC 2, Valour, and all three Ontario CPL sides in Atletico Ottawa, Forge FC, and York United.
The Rovers recently played a friendly against OUA semi-finalists TMU Bold on Feb 14th. The game ended with a 4-2 victory and provided the Rovers an opportunity to gauge their recent player additions. The Rovers have friendlies lined up against League1 Quebec’s CS-Saint Laurent, the Sudbury Cyclones and Rovers FC 2 to close out the schedule prior to the League1 ON kick-off.
Doneil Henry, Men’s Sporting Director and Head Coach believes the schedule reflects the standards set in the offseason and the team’s commitment to developing professional pathways for its players. It’s without a doubt the strongest preseason schedule in club history, playing five professional teams.
“We wanted to provide our players with an early opportunity to showcase their talent in the 2025 campaign”, said Henry. Facing top professional teams not only challenges them at the highest level but also puts them on the radar of these clubs from the start. This exposure increases the likelihood of our players being tracked throughout the season and securing professional contracts, whether during or after the 2025 season.”
Behind the scenes, the Rovers have been busy adding depth to their coaching staff to help communicate the standards to the players on a day-to-day basis. Former Mallorca midfielder Joao Victor has joined as Assistant Coach. Having played at the highest of levels in Spain and with close to four hundred professional appearances he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Barrie-based club.
The Rovers also announced the return of veteran forward Shaun Claud Lawson. Lawson returns to the club for his fourth season. In addition, the club is bringing back veteran winger Ijah Halley, Midfielder Javier George, Midfielder Paul Karagiannakos, brothers Micah and Milton Joseph, Defender Luc Ihama, Goalie Peter Sheberstov, and winger Aidan Hugo. These players are integral to the success of the club in 2025.
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The Rovers fell short of their goals last season and have their eyes set on winning the League1 Ontario title, a goal Henry embraces.
“These matches serve as a key part of our preparation for the season ahead. Our ambition is clear, we want to win the league title and earn our way back into the Canadian Championship.”
The Rovers won the League1 ON in 2023 and represented League1 ON in the Canadian Championship where they laced them up against MLS Giants Toronto FC.
On the women’s side, Simcoe County Rovers Women’s Head Coach Carli Tingstad has accepted a Technical Staff, Performance Analyst role with Ottawa Rapids FC of the newly formed Northern Super League. It’s an exciting opportunity for Tingstad and she offered her thoughts on her time with the Rovers.
“As the head coach of the Women’s League1 team, I’ve been able to grow both personally and professionally, building strong relationships and honing my coaching philosophy. The support and trust I received from the organization helped me develop the skills and experience to be ready for this exciting new chapter. I’m proud of what we accomplished with the program, and I look forward to starting my new full-time role with Ottawa in the NSL.”
With Tingstad’s departure, the club named 2024 Women’s Assistant Coach and Associate Sporting Director Zack Wilson Head coach for the 2025 season. Wilson brings 14 years of experience and is a Canadian B License Coach. Wilson is excited about the opportunity.
“Being named the head coach of Simcoe County Rovers FC women’s team is an honour. Having been the inaugural head coach in 2022, it’s exciting to return and continue building on the foundation that Carli set last season. This club has a strong vision for the women’s game, and I’m eager to collaborate with our talented players to push the program to new heights.”
The Rovers announced the signing of new Forward Stefanie Young for the 2025 season. Young was an OUA 2nd Team All-Star in 2024 and played with Treaty United in Ireland’s Premier Women’s Division.
The club also announced the following player signings with more to follow in the coming weeks.
- Bryanna Caldwell – Defender. Caldwell was League1 ON Defender of the Year and League Cup Champion in 2024.
- Soumaya Bouak – Forward/Midfielder. Bouak returns to the Rovers from Mazatlán FC in Liga MX Femenil where she played for the last two seasons. Bouak is a former USports National Champion with the Ottawa Gee Gee’s.
- Rylee Traicoff – Defender. Traicoff represents Guyana at the International level and Captained Nipissing University to the OUA Finals in 2024.
- Abby Wroe – Defender. League1 ON 2nd Team All-Star in 2024. USports First Team All-Canadian 2021.
For more information on the Simcoe County Rovers FC, including schedule details, ticket purchase options and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.roversfc.ca.
