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By Keiran Gorsky & Dan Plouffe
Shane Tierney experienced a major move as a young teenager – from Japan, where he grew up, back to Canada, where he was born. Now, as he heads off to university, the West Ottawa Warriors soccer player has decided that there’s no place like his new home, with the talented central midfielder set to join the Carleton University Ravens.
“I just felt like Carleton was the right choice,” explains Tierney. “I could stay close to home. It’s easy for my family to watch games and still see me.”
Tierney and his parents, both teachers, moved to Tokyo when he was young. Many of Tierney’s first memories revolve around playing soccer soccer in Japan – a similarly ascendant as a soccer nation.
“Honestly, ever since I started walking, I’ve been kicking the ball,” Tierney recalls.“I just grew up around it, surrounded by it. It was just an everyday thing for me – basically my whole life when I was like younger. I just loved it then, and I still love it now.”
Despite having Canadian parents, the initial transition to a new country came close to a culture shock. Soccer provided a helpful link as he adapted to a new setting though. The intense technical training and ball skills Tierney brought with him from Japan allowed him to quickly make an impact on West Ottawa’s top youth teams upon landing in Stittsville.
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Tierney’s soft touch, deft passes and his knack for evading pressure served him well in the Ontario Player Development and later with West Ottawa’s showcase program. He was named MVP of the First Touch Football Halifax Winter Combine in 2025, where he was lauded for his ability to unlock defences and create opportunities for his teammates thanks to exceptional vision and awareness.
One of his favourite memories came at another FTF combine in Vancouver. In the final of the youth showcase event, Tierney scored a last-minute tying goal and then the winning spot kick in penalties. It was special to celebrate that moment with teammates, many of whom he’s played with since the start of his Canadian career.
“Everyone’s really close. It’s a good environment,” highlights Tierney, who’s enjoyed the opportunity to get ready for more physical play and older, stronger opponents by playing in the Ottawa Carleton men’s league.
Among the first faces Tierney met in Canada are two other players who control the centre of the park for the Warriors – central defender Akil Telemaque and striker Reid Flick. Telemaque and Flick chose the opposite approach to Tierney – they are now set to move away to join Atlantic University Sport conference programs at Cape Breton and St. Francis-Xavier respectively.
Though Tierney will miss suiting up alongside his Warriors teammates, he recognized this time in his life was fast approaching.
“I feel like it was inevitable,” notes the Sacred Heart Catholic High School grad. “I’m just excited to kind of get in a new environment.”
For Tierney, playing at Carleton was a natural choice. There is a strong history of West Ottawa players, and coaches, joining the four-time OUA men’s champions.
Another key reason was his relationship with head coach Marcelo Plada, who has helmed the men’s team since the 2023 season.
“Marcelo was a big part, he liked me as a player,” recounts the future criminology student. “I wanted to go somewhere I was valued and would have freedom.”
Tierney will miss playing alongside Telemaque and Flick, but all three will competing for schools that ranked inside the top-8 in Canada last season, so they’ve got their eyes on having a reunion come November’s U Sports championships in Victoria, B.C.
“That’s the plan for sure,” signals Tierney. “I guess we’ll see.”
Read More of our 2026 High School Best Series as we tip our caps to top local student-athletes at: OttawaSportsPages.ca/Ottawa-High-School-Best-2026