Recruited from Westgate Collegiate & Vocational Institute last season, Alexis Anderson joins an exclusive list of Bison women's soccer players from Thunder Bay, Ontario.
"I wanted to continue the sport because in previous years it connected me to my closest friends and supporters," said the goalkeeper.
"By moving to Winnipeg I could broaden my perspective and knowledge with new friends whilst playing the sport I love."
At Westgate, Anderson was heavily influenced by her high school coach. He trained her to be an athlete on the pitch and an individual off the pitch.
"He taught me that I should try my best to be nice to people and be a friend when they need it most; he always said 'You never know who you'll meet later on in life.' And since my hometown is very tight knit, I took his mindset seriously."
The goalkeeping position faces many situations with unexpected hardships, something that Anderson credits her coach with helping her get through. His passing in April 2018 gave her another reason to continue progressing in soccer.
"To this day without my coach, Dom, I may not have continued with soccer; after every bad practice or day at school he pushed me to continue and try my best," said Anderson.
"Now I can dedicate my soccer career to him as a Bison because he gave me that strive to continue and I'm very happy he did."
As the 2019 season approaches, Anderson is looking to build off the experiences she gained the year prior.
"From my first year as a collegiate athlete, I learned the importance of time management; between balancing class, homework, practice, lifts, and volunteering, I have learned the importance of managing my time as best as I can so I can succeed in my studies as well as my game.
I have also learned the importance of friendship, without my friends on the team I would struggle to keep my head high to attack each day as best as I can, working to improve each day. I hope to improve my feeling of security as the last line of defense on the team. I aspire to earn my place as a '5th defender' and obtain the ability to build up from the back and create offense from the back line."
