Gabriel Khounganian Commits to Lakehead University Orillia

Richmond Hill Soccer Club is proud to announce that Gabriel Khounganian has committed to Lakehead University (Orillia campus), where he will continue both his academic and soccer career.

A composed and reliable fullback, Gabriel spent the 2024-25 season competing with our 2008 Boys OPDL team, where he consistently demonstrated maturity, defensive awareness, and the ability to perform under pressure. His strong performances also earned him the opportunity to make his U20 League debut this past summer, an important milestone that reflected his readiness to compete at the next level.

When it came time to choose a university, Gabriel was thoughtful in his decision-making process. “The offer for the soccer team was a part of the choice,” he shared, “but the smaller class sizes, location and potential academic scholarships also were a part of the decision.” For Gabriel, finding the right academic and athletic fit was essential, and Lakehead provided that balance.

Looking ahead to the challenge of university soccer, Gabriel has clear goals. “My goal is to play for all four years in which I attend the school, hopefully picking up a captaincy role,” he said. His ambition to lead, combined with his steady presence on the field, speaks to the type of player and teammate he strives to be.

Since joining RHSC in September 2024, Gabriel has embraced the Club’s structured development pathway. He credits RHSC for helping open doors at the next level, explaining that “Richmond Hill gave me the best exposure to get the chance to receive an offer for a university.” Beyond exposure, he emphasized the impact on his mindset: “It helped me develop my mental game (composure and confidence) to make me stand out more.”

Gabriel also reflected on how the Club’s coaching environment accelerated his growth both as a player and as a person. “The development built from working with the coaches had a big impact on my game,” he said. “It helped me become a flexible and more aware player through the game analysis and constant feedback.” He added that the intensity of training prepared him for the demands of higher-level competition: “The practices helped me develop my game to play at a faster pace and remain composed when under lots of pressure.”

Among his favourite memories at RHSC are the moments that strengthened team culture. He highlighted “the trip we took as a team to Deerhurst Resort for bonding” and a dramatic “3–2 win over Kingston where we tied the deficit twice and then managed to win.” Experiences like these helped shape not only his development, but also his connection to the Club.

Gabriel also acknowledged the coaches who played pivotal roles in his journey. “Coach Dan was the main person to build the type of player I am through the different types of practices he had our team doing,” he said. He also credited Coach Mikey, noting that the assistant coach “made some big contributions through training that helped me advance my style of play.”

Gabriel’s commitment to Lakehead University is another proud moment for RHSC and a strong example of the pathway available within our high-performance programs. We congratulate Gabriel and his family on this achievement and look forward to following his continued success at the university level. Dare to Dream, Gabriel!