‘I had to try’: Striker steps in as goalie after teammate injured during N.W.T. soccer match at NAIG | CBC News

On any other day, Syles Timbre would be the one scoring the goals, not stopping them.

That was the plan for the striker from Fort Liard as the N.W.T.’s soccer team went into its game against Team Ontario Monday during the North American Indigenous Games.

Partway through the game, N.W.T. goalkeeper Dean Coleman tore his calf muscle and went down. Having only ever goaltended small, indoor soccer nets in his life, Timbre put up his hand, ready to do a 180 and get in the net.

“I had to try,” he told CBC.

Coleman, now sidelined from the games, said he was impressed by Timbre’s willingness to leap into the breach.

“[The] guy did amazing. He’s a wonderful guy,” he said. “No one else wanted to play, so he had to step up. I’m thankful for that man.”

Loud cheers from supporters in the stands helped the team get through. Though they ultimately lost the game 5-1, Timbre said he still enjoyed the experience.

“When we scored the first goal, I was like, ‘I think we can do it,'” he said.

Ian Cayen from Hay River is the player who scored that goal. He said much of the team has only recently met each other, but they spent the last week bonding.

“Altogether, I think we played good as our first game together,” he said.

Head coach Chris Simon said he was happy with how they did, given many of the players hadn’t met until a week ago and four of them had never played soccer.

As for Timbre, he expects to finish out the tournament as goalie.

“It makes me feel a little better for myself — because I feel like I can score a goal or I can save a goal,” he said.

The North American Indigenous Games run this week in Halifax.