Distance no hurdle for new MTA commits

Mounties welcome two out-of-province commits to their Class of 2017.

Richie Cole, a wide receiver from King City Secondary School and Mathew Ibbetson, a defensive lineman from Westsyde Secondary School will have different travel times, but the same destination as they head to their new team, the Mount Allison Mounties.

Richie Cole

Richie Cole as a goal and Mount Allison is the first step towards reaching his aspiration. He said he chose this school because of its prestige and the fact that it has ranked as the number one undergraduate university in Canada 18 out of 24 years by McLean’s magazine.

“What appealed to me the most is the academics,” the potential environment studies student said. “At Mount Allison, the student to professor ratio is 16:1, which I feel like I would get to know my professors and develop a good relationship with them.”

After he obtains his degree, Cole plans on working for Environmental Canada.

On the football side of things, Cole was impressed with the Mounties, who have played in four straight conference games and have won the AUS championship two out of the last four years.

“I love the coaching staff. They’re great people,” he said. “There’s more about them than just football. They really care about you and want you to succeed. I feel like Head Coach Brady will put me in the best position to do so and that is why I felt at home here.”

The 5’11, 175lbs product of Toronto, Ontario, has played with the Newmarket Bucs, the Metro Toronto Wildcats and the King City Lions (York Region Athletic Association). He walks around with a special philosophy that he keeps close to his heart: “If a man doesn’t have the sauce, then he is lost. But, the same man can be lost in the sauce.”

(Sauce is used to describe someone who has style and confidence).

Excited to officially welcome WR Richie Cole from King City SS and Richmond Hill, ON to the #MountiePRIDE family!! #PRIDE17 #HardWorkU pic.twitter.com/eIY2UsFLDB

— Scott Brady (@CoachBradyMTA) February 17, 2017

Mathew Ibbetson

Mathew Ibbetson will have quite the trek from his hometown of Kamloops, BC, to Sackville, New Brunswick. But, when something just feels right, distance doesn’t matter all that much.

“I chose to commit to Mount Allison because the team is so tight-knit, the atmosphere is amazing the the school really appeals to me academically,” he said, adding that he is interested in psychology.

When it came to the Mounties’ coaches, the member of Team BC couldn’t say enough about the staff. “I heard nothing but great things from the players. They’re running a great program and the relationship the coaches and players share is second to none,” he said.

“They’re really just a supportive, dedicated and focused coaching staff and I’m looking forward to working with them in the future,” he added.

In high school, the 6’4, 280lbs defensive tackle played with the Westsyde Bluewave (BC Secondary Schools Football Association). In 2016, he was named as the most improved defensive lineman at the Senior Bowl.

Also thrilled to officially welcome DL Mathew Ibbetson from Westsyde SS in Kamloops, BC to the #MountiePRIDE family!! #PRIDE17 #HardWorkU pic.twitter.com/HrOapflsD0

— Scott Brady (@CoachBradyMTA) February 17, 2017