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Ocean Lakes soccer captain Canon Robins announced his collegiate commitment to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) via social media.
The senior phenom is a dual threat both on the pitch and in the classroom. He’s led the boys soccer team for the last few years, all while maintaining a 4.24 GPA and scoring a 1590 on his SAT.
“He’s matured from a lanky, tentative freshman to an invaluable senior leader, and is a clever and resourceful player who will undoubtedly succeed at the next level,” said head Ocean Lakes boys soccer coach Dave Wiggins. “He is powerful enough to win the ball from his opponents, but then has the agility and presence of mind to play a soft pass to an upfield teammate.”
With such a unique skillset, his recruiting process was far from ordinary.
“I got many emails from coaches, but most of them did not have the academics that I wanted,” said Robins. “Then, in mid-November, the MIT coach [Ken Bovell] called me out of the blue.”
Coach Bovell has never seen Robins play in person; however, his skillset stood out so much from his tape that the Beavers decided to offer him a spot on the team.
Robins possesses a highly sought-after trait for his position. As a somewhat rare left-footed center-back, he is uniquely suited to play in formations with two center-backs to anchor the left side of the team’s central defense.
Beyond his outstanding statistics and promising physical skills, Canon’s reserved leadership cannot be understated as a captain of a team with 13 seniors vying for a state championship. He’s not known for being very vocal; however, he makes up for it in other ways.
“He is the calm, yet rugged soldier every team needs, but few are blessed to have,” said Wiggins. “In the past, he led by quiet example, but this season he’s grown more comfortable giving tactical advice and offering suggestions.”
While the future is most certainly bright, Robins has quite a bit he hopes to accomplish before his chapter at Ocean Lakes comes to a close.
“Obviously a state championship is the goal. I would love to leave OL as a state champion,” said Canon. “Aside from that, leaving a good team culture, and showing people that you can combine soccer with academics is super important.”
Robins’ success is no accident. Over the past few years, he has worked tirelessly, honing his skills and displaying his talents at ID camps and showcases. His intelligence materializes on the field as well.
“He plays a vital role in anchoring our defense, but also in coordinating our attacks,” said junior right back Taden Domanski. “He pushes the team to be better in both academics and athletics.”
Looking ahead, Robins is thrilled with the prospect of attending MIT starting in the fall.
According to Robins, the academic prowess of the school was the most compelling piece of the puzzle during his recruitment. Though he has yet to decide on anything definitively, he plans on majoring in computer science.
In spite of everything Robins has already accomplished, he remains laser-focused on his lofty goals for his collegiate soccer career.
“I really want to work to get meaningful playing time next season,” said Robins. “Our coach [at MIT] sees this class as one that can come in and compete right away.”
Though the season is far from over, his recent commitment has left Robins reminiscent of his soccer journey thus far.
“There are so many coaches that I would love to thank, especially Coach Dave [Wiggins],” said Canon. “My fellow seniors that I have played with the last four years, as well as many of my past OL teammates definitely mean a lot to me.”
As an admittedly shy person, Robins has never been one to seek the spotlight for himself. His teammates, however, want him to embrace the recognition he receives, and cannot wait to see what he accomplishes at the next level.
“We were all ecstatic to see him commit; we know he has been working super hard,” said senior center back Owen Wilbricht. “MIT is the perfect fit for him given his great academics.”
The Dolphin community plans to keep a close eye on Canon’s future endeavors to support him along his journey.
“To be afforded the opportunity to continue his academic career at such a prestigious university and to be invited to play soccer is truly an amazing opportunity for him,” said Wiggins. “He will certainly make his OL family proud.”
