BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
Will Lucia stands on guard for thee.
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Lucia, Laurentian University's men's
soccer team goalie, will be going to Bosnia in 2005, as part of
a Canadian contingent of peacekeepers.
He will serve as a peacekeeper and a liaison
to the commander.
Â"I am definitely anxious to go and nervous,
but I am ready,Â" said Lucia. Â"I wanted this. I applied for
it. I will be second in command for sector headquarters of
liaison observation teams. We will be trying to mix ourselves
in among the society there and just get a feel of how things
are going with the population. I will also provide situational
awareness for my commander.Â"
Lucia, 21, will leave for Bosnia on March 1,
2005, for a seven-month tour of duty.
Â"I have never been to Europe, so it should
be a good experience,Â" said Lucia. Â"Right now, it's
stable over there, so there shouldn't be too much action.
It will help with my future career plans. Hopefully, what I
learn there, I can apply to my future plans.Â"
Military blood runs through Lucia's
veins. His grandfather fought in Belgium during the Second
World War.
Â"I didn't find out about my
grandfather's involvement until a couple of years ago,Â"
said Lucia. Â"I was intrigued. He was a motorcycle dispatch
rider. I am proud to follow in his footsteps.Â"
As with most soldiers who serve their country
overseas, Lucia will find it painstaking to say goodbye to
friends and family.
Â"Saying goodbye to my girlfriend and family
for six months will be tough,Â" said Lucia. Â"It will also be
tough adjusting to the lifestyle over there. It's hard, but
it's part of the responsibility.Â"
Lucia has been in the army for three years.
He loves it.
Â"Being in the army has been a great benefit
to me,Â" said Lucia. Â"You learn to control your emotions and
deal with high stress. I have also learned a lot of leadership
skills. I like to be challenged, and being in the army is a
challenge. I think going overseas and being part of this
mission will be my biggest accomplishment.Â"
Lucia's bravery hasn't been lost on
his teammates and coaches.
Â"The coaching staff and players are all
proud of him,Â" said Laurentian men's soccer coach Carlo
Castrechino. Â"We all see him making saves every night at
practice and goofing around afterwards with the boys, but he
has come to practice a few times with his Canadian Armed Forces
uniform on, and you could see the players in awe...they really
respect what he does, and what he will doing this upcoming
spring.Â"
Lucia leaves for training in Kingston in
January. He will take next spring off from his studies, but
resume them, in full, in the fall. For now, he will spend much
of his time with his loved ones.
Lucia, a Lennoxville, Quebec resident, has
enjoyed his four years in Sudbury.
Â"I love it here, and it has been a great
change for me,Â" said Lucia. Â"There's even a strong French
population, so I don't lose my connection to my French side
completely.Â"
Lucia played in nine games for the Laurentian
soccer team this past year. He studies Biology.
