- Nicolas Lesage
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Nicolas Lesage 
Personal information Full name Nicolas Lesage Date of birth January 3, 1980 Place of birth Mauricie, Quebec, Canada Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) Playing position Striker Club information Current club Sélect Trois-Rivières (Head Coach) Youth career 1998–2003 Francheville Soccer Club 1999–2003 UQTR Patriotes Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2004 Toledo Slayers - (-) 2005 Montreal Impact 0 (0) 2005 → Laval Dynamites (loan) 10 (5) 2006 Trois-Rivières Sélect - (23) 2007–2009 Trois-Rivières Attak 44 (24) Teams managed 2009- Sélect Trois-Rivières * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of November 16, 2007.
† Appearances (Goals).Nicolas Lesage (born January 3, 1980) is a retired Canadian soccer player who played as a striker.
Lesage began his career at the college level during his enrollment at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. Upon his graduation from university, Lesage would sign with the Montreal Impact. His tenure at Montreal was an unsuccessful experience where he failed to debut for the club, which ultimately led to him being released from his contract. Following his release from the Impact, Lesage's soccer career went into a temporarily stagnation stage, which resulted in him spenting time in local amateur leagues. Afters of years of obscurity in Canadian soccer, Lesage's career received a major boost once he signed with the Trois-Rivières Attak of the Canadian Soccer League.
It was at Trois-Rivieres that established Lesage into a consistent forward that dominated the CSL, and brought the Attak to a position of prestige among the league. Under Marc Dos Santos direction, Lesage became Trois-Rivieres' all-time leading scorer with 31 goals in all competitions. He assisted the club by claiming their first Open Canada Cup and National Division title; he was awarded the Canadian Soccer League MVP Award, and the CSL Golden Boot becoming the first person in CSL history to win two individual awards in a season. Lesage spent his final season with Trois-Rivieres as club captain, leading them to CSL Cup final in 2008. In January 2009, after only two years with the Attak, he announced his retirement from soccer to become the Head Coach for the Sélect Trois-Rivières.
Contents
Playing career
Lesage started his career playing at the youth level with Francheville of Trois-Rivières in the LSEQ. His tenure with the club was quite successful, being a member of the LSEQ all-star team twice in 2001, and 2003. He was a finalist for the golden ball award in the 2003 season.
Lesage played college soccer with the UQTR Patriotes for five years. During his university career his achievements were being a member for the CIS all-star team for three years. While still playing for the patriotes he played one season with the Toledo Slayers of the USL Premier Development League in 2004.
On April 23, 2005 he signed a contract with the Montreal Impact of the USL First Division.[1] He featured, and played in most pre-season matches, but as the season progressed he failed to make a single appearance in an Impact shirt. This led him to go on seasons loan to the Laval Dynamites. He was subsequently released the following season and returned to the LSEQ, this time he signed with the Trois-Rivières Sélect. He continued his fine scoring legacy leading his team in goals, and being named an all-star for the third time in his career, as well as winning his second golden ball award.
Trois-Rivières Attak
After finishing another hugely successful season in the LSEQ, Lesage was signed by the newly expansion franchise Trois-Rivières Attak for the 2007 CSL season. His signing was announced in a press conference on May 2, 2007.[2] He made his Attak debut in 0–0 tie at Toronto Croatia on May 12.[3] He scored his first goal against the Canadian Lions which ended out being the winning goal in 2–1 victory. He soon became an instant impact, forming a strong attacking partnership with Darko Kolic. He played an influential role for the Attak in the Open Canada Cup final against the Columbus Clan F.C., coming on as substitute for Ibrahim Baldeh in 51 minute, and scoring the first goal of the match in nine minutes. The Attak would end up winning the match 3–0, claiming their first trophy in their debut Open Canada Cup season.[4] Lesage concluded the season as the Attak and CSL leading scorer with 20 goals combined in all competitions. As the Attak entered the playoffs Lesage scored the first goal in 3–0 victory eliminating defending CSL champions the Italia Shooters in the quarter-final round. But their playoff run ended on October 21 against the Serbian White Eagles with two first half goals coincided, Lesage scored in the 84 minute to bring life to the Attak, but Serbia hung on and advanced to the final. On November 4 at CSL Awards Banquet he was awarded the CSL MVP Award, and the CSL Golden Boot.[5] To add to his silverware Lesage was also awarded the Trois-Rivières Attak Golden Boot award at the Trois-Rivières Attak annual awards banquet on November 6, 2007.[6]
Lesage extended his contract with the Attak on February 12, 2008.[7] During the 2008 CSL season for the second year in a row he led his team in goals, scoring 8 goals in all competitions. Lesage also helped the Attak claim the National Division title, the club's first Division title. On October 11 he scored the winning goal against St. Catharines Wolves in 2–0 victory in the playoff quarterfinals. In the semi-final match Lesage contributed a goal in the 75' minute in a 7–0 victory over Portugal FC, and for the first time the Attak advanced into the CSL Cup where they would face White Eagles once again. In the final match Lesage came off the bench to score in the 70' minute and tie the game 1–1, after both teams equalized in extra time the game went into penalties, where the White Eagles won the match 2–1.[8] At the 2008 Trois-Rivières Attak annual awards banquet Lesage was awarded for the second consecutive time the Trois-Rivières Attak Golden Boot award with whom he shared with Pierre-Rudolph Mayard for having scored the most goals over the course of the regular season.[9]
Coaching career
Lesage retired in January 2009 and became the Head Coach for the Sélect Trois-Rivières of the Association régionale de soccer de la Mauricie (ARSM).[10]
Honors
Trois-Rivières Attak
- Open Canada Cup (1): 2006
- Canadian Soccer League National Division Champions (1): 2008
Individual
Career stats
Team Season League Domestic
LeagueDomestic
PlayoffsDomestic
Cup1Concacaf
Competition2Total Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Trois-Rivières Attak 2007 CSL 22 16 0 2 2 0 4 2 0 - - - 28 20 0 2008 CSL 21 8 1 3 3 0 - - - - - - 24 11 1 Total CSL 43 24 1 5 5 0 4 2 0 - - - 52 31 1 References
- ^ "Impact add two". USL.com. http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/transactions/97471.html. Retrieved 2010-09-04.[dead link]
- ^ THE ATTAK COMPLETES ITS ROSTER
- ^ Attak 0 Toronto Croatia 0
- ^ Open Canada Cup Final between Columbus Clan and Trois-Rivieres Attak
- ^ Lesage and Joqueviel MVPs
- ^ Lesage and Joqueviel MVPs
- ^ Nicolas Lesage extends his contract
- ^ Sunday October 26, 2008 CSL game between Trois-Rivieres Attak and Serbian White Eagles
- ^ Special Evening to Celebrate Attak Players
- ^ Nicolas Lesage nouvel entraîneur-cadre de l'Association régionale de soccer
External links
Canadian Soccer League top scorers Categories:- 1980 births
- Canadian expatriate soccer people in the United States
- Canadian expatriate soccer players
- Canadian Soccer League (2006–present) players
- Canadian soccer players
- Expatriate soccer players in the United States
- Association football forwards
- French Quebecers
- Living people
- Montreal Impact (USL First Division) players
- People from Mauricie
- Soccer people from Quebec
- Trois-Rivières Attak players
- Toledo Slayers players
- USL Premier Development League players
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