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Dynamic midfielder hits century mark in Saturday’s season-opener hoping damage woes are properly behind him
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In an ideal world, Sergio Camargo hitting the century mark in video games performed with Cavalry FC would are available in entrance of the home-town followers.
And towards Forge FC, after all.
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So one out of two ain’t dangerous when the 29-year-old dynamic midfielder and unique man for Calgary’s skilled footie facet leads Cavalry into its sixth season Saturday towards their arch-rivals in Hamilton (2 p.m., OneSoccer, OneSoccer.ca).
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“100 video games … simply makes me really feel previous,” stated Camargo, with amusing, and contemporary off signing a two-year-plus-an-option extension with the membership. “No … it’s an ideal feeling that I’m attending to this milestone. And it’s becoming that we face Forge. I would like it’s at ATCO Discipline, in entrance of the followers.
“However I’ll take it any which approach.”
That’s as a result of it wasn’t at all times a shaping as much as be a achieved deal, regardless of the aptitude he brings to the sphere and his star energy for each the staff and the Canadian Premier League.
Accidents stored Camargo from being a full-time member for Cavalry in 2020 and 2022 and, at occasions, through the two different campaigns forward of final season.
“I hope I’m by means of the worst a part of my profession by way of accidents,” stated Camargo, who’s reportedly feeling match and able to fly in 2024. “It wasn’t a for-sure factor that I used to be ever going to get to hundred video games with my historical past these final couple of years.
“However I had an excellent wholesome season final yr, and I’m simply attempting to remain on that wave and hold using that. And I feel I’m coming right into a season feeling like every part goes proper. So I’m simply excited to maintain going.”
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So is Cavalry, which rewarded the Colombia native with that good new deal forward introduced early Friday, extending him into the long run after his six-goal, 28-game marketing campaign in 2023.
The half-dozen strikes tied his earlier season-high again within the inaugural CPL yr of 2019.
All totalled, Camargo has cashed in 21 objectives — for the franchise lead — over 99 Cavalry appearances.
“Sergio’s large,” stated Cavalry GM/head coach Tommy Wheeldon of his 5-foot-8 fireball. “When he’s taking part in properly, he makes the staff tick.
“He most likely generally will get under-appreciated for what he does,” the gaffer continued. “So being one of many captains and being the main point-getter and having a season like he had final yr, he went type of underneath the radar.
“He was at all times obtainable for choice. He’s put the damage issues behind him and simply targeting being an excellent participant and an excellent teammate, and he’s a terrific chief. So it’s most likely time for him to get the love he deserves once more, as a result of he’s an thrilling participant.”
That was Wheeldon’s expectation for Camargo when he made him one of many membership’s first-ever signings — alongside soccer veteran Nik Ledgerwood — all these years again throughout a what was a curious information convention within the East Meadows secure block at Spruce Meadows.
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“It’s superb, actually, once I look again on that day,” Camargo stated. “It’s arduous to be like, ‘Oh yeah, in 5 years, I’m gonna nonetheless be right here and I’m going to be a captain for this membership and all that.’
“I used to be simply taking one yr at a time, actually. I got here to Calgary to get in entrance of Tommy’s eyes (with a 2018 efficiency with Calgary Foothills FC) and attempt to win a contract for one summer season. After which that summer season turned in to at least one yr, and that one yr turned in to a different extension and one other extension …
“And I feel that’s one of the simplest ways to take a look at it’s one yr at a time. And yeah, it’s truly unimaginable pondering again to my first days right here, it’s simply, ‘Wow.’ It’s overwhelming. actually.”
Camargo turns into the third member of Cavalry to achieve 100 video games, after each famous person goalkeeper Marco Carducci and feisty midfielder José Escalante reached that mark final season.
All through that march, Camargo has turn into a extra polished, mature participant — and it seems to be good on him.
“I’ve realized from expertise, for certain,” Camargo stated. “While you get 99 video games underneath your belt, it provides you issues to match with and to make use of as references, like if a sport shouldn’t be going a technique, it’s like, ‘OK, I’ve seen this drawback earlier than, so what’s the answer that we noticed in Sport 43 or no matter?’ So I’m attempting to offer all my info — all my data — to my youthful teammates, in order that they are often even additional forward than I’m once they get to 100 video games.”
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His largest fan has a extra particular tackle what 100 video games has taught Camargo.
“I feel he’s gained extra in his professionalism about the best way he treats his physique,” Wheeldon stated. “He’s distinctive by way of his physique sort. He’s a really explosive, highly effective participant. So he’s needed to focus quite a bit on his weight-reduction plan and his mobility and on his skill and on his power. And he places within the work. And I feel what we’ve seen because of the professionalism he’s put in his sport, he’s most likely ended up benefiting extra from this journey.”
All in all, not dangerous for a man who was seeking out a footie dwelling after an arguably forgettable yr in his home-town Toronto FC system.
In 18 caps with Toronto FC II in 2017, he notched only one objective — a far cry from the dynamism he brings to the Cavs and the CPL today.
“I grew up in Toronto, however I type of didn’t have a house, as a result of my mother and father left Toronto once I left for varsity,” stated Camargo, who spent three NCAA years taking part in for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers and one other one in 2016 with the Syracuse Orange. “So once I received again to Toronto and signed as a ‘homegrown,’ it was my first time dwelling downtown and I used to be just about alone.
“Even once I received right here to Calgary, I didn’t actually have a house. However I’ve constructed my dwelling and my group with all of the years I’ve been right here.
“I’ve had a tremendous life in Calgary due to what Cavalry has given me. So I don’t remorse not having the ability to go to the MLS or go to a league in Europe. I’m so pleased for what I’ve constructed right here — not simply in soccer, however a life exterior of soccer.”
tsaelhof@postmedia.com
http://www.x.com/ToddSaelhofPM
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