The fiery Falvos

In one fell swoop, Cambrian soccer coach Giuseppe Politi completed much of his off-season recruiting.

OK, that might be a tad exaggerated. But when the Golden Shield women's soccer team took to the pitch last Saturday against Algonquin, opening their 2014 campaign, there were no less than three members of the Falvo family in the starting lineup, with a fourth looking to return soon.

Siblings Sara and Marissa Falvo, along with their cousin Marissa, share a teammate connection tighter than most. Part of the 2014 graduating class from Marymount Academy, Sara and Ali are in their first year of OCAA competition, with Marissa suiting up for a second.

Ali's older sister, Victoria, is away from the team this year after playing in 2013, but hopes to be back with the Cambrian crew in 2015. Like most inter-familial relationships, perhaps even more so within the fiery bloodlines of this Italian clan, emotions can run to extremes.

That special bond of closeness can turn on a dime when things don't go well. But these girls have been down this path before, often playing on the same team, including in the competitive environment of the CGSL (Central Girls Soccer League).

"I feel like we're a lot more open with each other than with other teammates, just because we are related," said Sara. "The bus rides could involve family fights. But it would be a post-game thing, not a pre-game thing."

"We all have our own strengths, and we kind of help each other out in different ways," added Ali, beginning her studies in the pre-health program, along with Sara. "I'm looking forward to travelling with the team, meeting lots of new people. That will be the most fun."

While they don't always see eye to eye, there is an uncanny melding of beliefs when they are asked to identify specific skill sets within the Falvo quartet. Sara is noted for her soccer IQ, her ability to instinctively anticipate the play.

"Sara can mark an opponent and read where they're going to go," Marissa said, who is the Falvos' consensus choice for a penalty kick, with the outcome of a game on the line.

"(Marissa) has a good shot and it's consistent," said Victoria. "The rest of us are not as consistent." Marissa also gets the nod as best defender, a fierce challenger on the ball, who intimidates even the athletes who share her bloodlines.

It comes as a surprise to no one who knows the Falvo families that soccer holds a special place in the lives of the girls, with fathers Rob (Victoria and Ali) and Peter (Sara and Marissa) well-known in the local soccer community for their love of the beautiful game.

All incoming rookies rely on the wisdom of the vets to provide a heads-up of exactly what to expect. In this particular case, that sage advice was very close to home.

"This is a completely different level, there's a professionalism to it," Victoria said. "You're playing for your school, you're representing your school."

And if the Falvo girls are going to tackle that challenge, they would just as soon do it together.