Janice Cossar, a 1982 graduate of Dartmouth High School, was an outstanding all-round athlete who won female athlete of the year awards in both grade eleven and twelve academic years for outstanding performances in soccer, basketball, softball and ringette.
Following high school graduation she attended university at both Dalhousie and St. Mary’s where she continued to excel in interscholastic athletics. At Dalhousie she was twice an AUAA All-star in field hockey and at St. Mary’s she played varsity basketball.
Entering Acadia in the fall of 1987 she quickly became a member of the Laura Sanders -coached soccer team that seriously challenged for Canadian honours.
During that season with the team, she and her team mates gained national attention by sporting a most impressive 13-1-1 record. Goal keeper Janice, recorded eleven shutouts and allowed only two goals to be scored against her -indeed an incredible performance. Offensively, the Acadia squad scored forty-one times.
Winner of the AUAA title, Acadia lost to McMaster in national semi-final play. Individually, Janice -the national team’s goalie as well- was named second-team Al1-Canadian.
On November 6, 1988 at Raymond Field the Sanders -coached Acadia team were again conference champs, defeating Mt. Alison, 1-0, on a Jodie Silke goal and a Janice Cossar shutout. At the Nationals in Vancouver, the Axettes defeated the University of Alberta, 1-0, as Janice recorded another shutout, but dropped a 2-0 decision to Queen’s in the Canadian finals. Fittingly, goalie, Janice Cossar was honoured as a first-team Al1-Canadian.
During her years as goalie for Canada’s National Team -1987-1990- Janice dressed for all games and participated in the vast majority of them. During her four-year stay with the National Team, she participated in world-wide invitational tournaments held in Taiwan, China and Denmark.
From 1989-1999 Janice also assisted Laura Sanders with the women’s soccer teams that won several conference titles and in 1990 the CIAU championship.
It is indeed a pleasure to welcome for induction to Acadia’s Sports Hall Of Fame …Janice Cossar …a CIAU All-Canadian who competed with Team Canada in international soccer play.
