Like so many Newfoundlanders, he left to pursue his dreams. But on Sunday, Owen Sheppard stepped back onto King George V Park a local hero
It's a pitch he knows well. Provincial championships, dizzying victories, heartbreak, innumerable matches, training, cutting wind, rain; King George V Park played host to them all throughout his youth career.
And on Sunday, Owen Sheppard created a new memory as he stepped back onto the pitch of his childhood, in his hometown, as a member of the Halifax Wanderers for their International Summer Series against Ipswich Town. 4,500 fans — many friends and family — welcomed him back to St. John's.
"I've got a lot of memories and history with that field," Sheppard told The Wanderers Notebook post-match. "It was good to see it even more lively (on Sunday)."
It's been a year of peaks and valleys for Sheppard. He's gone from the highs of winning a national U Sports championship with Cape Breton University and being drafted first overall by Valour FC in the 2024 CPL draft to being cut loose by the club that drafted him. He was then scooped up by the Halifax Wanderers, although not signed, and has been living and training in Halifax ever since.
When the International Summer Series was announced, including its visit to St. John's, it became the latest twist in a wild year for the young Newfoundlander. The Wanderers gave Sheppard the captain's armband on Sunday and he rewarded them with a dazzling display, breaking down the right side of the pitch on two occasions and testing Ipswich Town's keeper.
Whenever he touched the ball, a palpable buzz came over the crowd; he was one of their own.
Afterwards, Sheppard struggled to put into words what it meant to play back in his home province after leaving — like so many Newfoundlanders do — to pursue the next stage of his football career.
"It's kind of hard to describe," he said. "The best I can do is it was an amazing feeling, a really humbling feeling. It was a very good opportunity to lead my team and represent my province as well as a Newfoundlander. To play on a quality team like that in kind of like a pro match was a great feeling, honestly."
Sheppard added he was humbled by the support he received. Countless youth players sought him out for signatures or a chat throughout the weekend.
"It totally shocked me that that many people were going to come to the game and support me. I've never played in front of a crowd that big in my life. It was definitely not on the bucket list for 2024 but I'm glad I got to be a part of it and experience it," he said.
Brian Murphy, chair for the St. John's Soccer Club, said Sheppard's story serves as proof to young players across the province as to what can be achieved with hard work.
"Owen came up with our club. He started when he was seven-years old and came up through. To see him on the field now is a big thing for our kids," said Murphy.
"They're saying: 'If he can do it, I can do it.' Ever since we hired a full-time technical director, our skill level has gone way high."
When asked about the quality of football in Newfoundland and Labrador, Sheppard said the community continues to grow. Moments like the International Summer Series, he noted, will serve to inspire local players, some of whom he hopes follow his path and try to build their own legacy.
With several more stops planned, Sheppard and the Wanderers U-21 squad will be touring Atlantic Canada throughout July. They'll be facing quality opposition, each match an opportunity for them to impress and try to earn a professional deal.
Sheppard said he plans on returning to Cape Breton University mid-August to try and translate the experience he's earned with the Wanderers into another successful U Sports season. He said he plans to re-enter the CPL draft, looking for an opportunity to crack a CPL's first team.
"I'm very open to anything that comes my way. In this game, you can't really pick and choose what you want so you've got to just take it," he said.
But he'll never forget where he's from; St. John's and the province did a great job of lifting him up and creating a new memory at a pitch already full of them.
"A huge thank you to the City of St. John's, the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association, all the teams that came out to support me because even though I didn't play on those teams, it's still nice to see all those kids come out and support and know who I was as I'm a local kid as well," said Sheppard.
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Cover Photo Credit: Halifax Wanderers FC
