It鈥檚 a family affair on the 国民彩票 Tigers men鈥檚 soccer team this season. With sons of former Tigers and two pairs of brothers, Dal looks to have a family-like connection on the field.
Sam Ellis is joining older brother Jack Ellis this season. The first pair of brothers on the team, hailing from Liverpool, England, are following in their parent鈥檚 footsteps. The Ellis brothers鈥� mother, Carla Perry, won a national championship with Dal in 1994 with the women鈥檚 team, and their father, Mark Ellis, accomplished the same feat in 1995 with the men鈥檚 team.
Good parental pressure
Jack says he feels the pressure of his parents being national champions.
鈥淲alking out of the changing room and seeing my dad's name on the wall and seeing photos of him in the team room fills me with a lot of ambition,鈥� says the third-year midfielder.
Seeing his father鈥檚 name in the team room makes younger brother Sam proud and motivates him to make a name for himself.
鈥淵ou want to carry on the whole Ellis legacy; it motivates you,鈥� says the first-year midfielder.
As brothers growing up, it was not always fun and games when kicking the ball around with one another.
鈥淚t would end in tears countless times,鈥� says Jack.
However, this competitive relationship has helped shape Jack as a competitor.
鈥淲hen I see him with the ball, I鈥檒l tackle him a little harder,鈥� says the commerce major, laughing.
Sam also reflected on training with his brother growing up.
鈥淲e're both adults now, and Jack knows that, and I know that,鈥� says the arts major. 鈥淭raining is training, and outside of football, we are brothers and even within football, we will always be brothers no matter what. As hard as we go in training, we make up for it off the pitch.鈥�
The competitiveness was shaped by having two competitive parents. The family would play soccer games in the backyard, with Jack playing on his mother鈥檚 team and Sam on his father鈥檚.
鈥淚f you looked at it from the outside, you'd be like, this is just crazy,鈥� says Jack. 鈥淚 learned so much from it. It makes you so competitive, and it makes you want to win so badly.鈥�
In previous years, while Jack played for Dal, Sam and his parents would watch from home and call Jack after to discuss the game. Now that Sam has joined his brother, Jack, his parents and friends will watch the pair play from home.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really nice knowing they鈥檙e cheering me on,鈥� says Sam.
Jack was a key influence on Sam to join the Tigers.
鈥淗e would tell me you've got to come to Dal, and some of his friends and teammates would tell me, 鈥業 hope you come to Dal next year,鈥� which is really nice,鈥� says Sam. 鈥淗e always wanted me to come to Dal. I have a special place in my heart for Dal.鈥�
Playing with one another growing up could mean a brotherly connection for the Ellis brothers on the pitch. The two know how one another likes to play.
鈥淚n the Liverpool leagues, it's not the friendliest of games all the time,鈥� says Sam. 鈥淲e both know what football means to each other. We both know we go out there and give it our all when we play. We go to battle; it's a war.鈥�
Their mother is from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, and having had both of their parents play for Dal provides Jack and Sam with friends and former teammates of their parents. The two have reliable family friends in the Halifax area.
鈥淭here's a sense of community and family around here. It's just a really good place to be,鈥� says Jack.
Sam鈥檚 been offered hospitality from family friends, such as proposing to cook him meals. He moved to Halifax on his birthday, and before moving to Risley Hall, he stayed with his parent鈥檚 former teammate