Jason Hills
FC Edmonton Communications

EDMONTON — Gabriel Bitar has felt that feeling of rejection before.
It’s all part of being an athlete, but when Bitar got a phone call from FC Edmonton head coach Alan Koch this winter — he vowed to not let it happen again.

“I had an opportunity to play in the CPL before (with Cavalry FC), and it was taken away from me. To be given another opportunity to play professional soccer again, it’s a blessing,” said Bitar.
“I told myself when I signed with FC Edmonton, I wasn’t going to let this chance slip away.”

Bitar was selected 1st overall in the 2018 Canadian Premier League U Sports draft, and made three appearances in the 2019 season, before returning to the Carleton University Ravens for the past three seasons.
Like many young athletes, sometimes it takes time for their game to develop at the professional level, and Bitar was part of a deep Cavalry FC team, where he was placed well down the depth chart.

“I wasn’t playing poorly, it just wasn’t my time,” said Bitar.
“I feel like I was lacking a lot when I first came to the league in 2019 with Cavalry. My off the ball (play) and on the ball (play), I wasn’t ready.
“I’m grateful that Alan took me in and he saw something in me, and I feel like this season I’ve grown a lot. I’m learning a lot on the go, but it’s been a great experience for me.”

It’s been a season of growth for FC Edmonton, as the club is currently in an ownership transition. The club is being run by the league, and almost all of FC Edmonton’s roster is made up of players on loan from the other clubs around the league.
It’s given many young players an opportunity to develop at the professional level, and Bitar has taken that opportunity and clearly made the most of it.
In 18 appearances, Bitar has scored three goals and one assist. He leads the club with 1,577 minutes played, as well as tackles won and total tackles (29 and 47 respectively).
He’s found ways to contribute all over the pitch, and has become one of the CPL’s bright young stars.

“I’m surprised nobody was willing to give him a chance (since 2019), to be brutally honest. I don’t know why I’m the only coach in the CPL to give him a chance, he should’ve had a chance a long long time ago,” said Koch.
“I think Gaby’s at his best when he gets the ball and is going forward. His ability to dribble, his ability to shoot. We try to put him a position where he can use his attributes to the best of his ability and for the team’s ability, too.
“I think the part where we’ve seen the biggest growth, and you have to watch it very closely in games, is him out of possession. His understanding of how to defend. We have moved him around in a variety of different positions, and I feel like that is his biggest area of growth.”

What’s made Bitar’s standout season even more special is he’s doing it at a completely new position.
He’s played striker his entire soccer career. Bitar scored 40 career goals at Carleton University and was a named a U Sports All-Canadian, twice. He will go down  as one of the best ever to come through the Ravens program.
But with the Eddies, Bitar is a midfielder. The Eddies coaching staff tried him out as a midfielder for one of the club’s preseason matches, and he’s been a great fit in that role.

“Playing a whole new position has been a challenge, but I want to thank Alan the coaching staff for believing in me and putting me in positions where I didn’t feel comfortable, but they knew I’d excel,” said Bitar.
“It’s something I’m still working at, and it’s a work in progress, as there are a lot of things I need to work at playing in the middle, but it’s been a great experience.”

When you watch Bitar play, his ability to dribble the ball stands out, and his willingness to shoot the ball with power and accuracy is also evident.
Both those traits were on full display when he scored his first-career professional goal earlier this season, against his former club, Cavalry FC.
Scoring against the team that gave up on him, no doubt made that moment a little sweeter.

“That meant a lot honestly. It’s where everything started for me in my professional career. I know I didn’t play a lot, but it really opened up my eyes and for me to do it there, where I trained 100 before was really something special,” said Bitar.

Another special moment for Bitar was being able to play in front of all of his friends and family this past weekend in Ottawa. His family has always been there to support him through all his ups and downs in his soccer journey, and Bitar certainly cherished that moment, despite the Eddies 2-1 loss on Sunday.

“Win or lose, they’re going to love it,” he said.
“It’s a moment I will remember for the rest of my life.
“Our family is a very close family, so whenever we see each other, whether it’s for a day or even two hours, we’ll always cherish that time. It was really nice to see them in the stands. It felt really good.”

While the bulk of the Eddies roster is filled with players on loan, Bitar’s rights are held by FC Edmonton. He can be a player that the Eddies can certainly build their future around.
Bitar has earned his opportunity given to him by FC Edmonton, and he’s been able to take his game to new heights this year.

“Playing different styles, a different position, playing in crucial moments of the game, it’s all eye-opening,” said Bitar.
“Those are all things that you talk and think about when you’re younger and when you get to experience it, it’s totally different than what you imagined. It’s been a blessing.”

Bitar is a great example to never give up on your dreams, and now he’s living his dream of playing professional soccer.

“I’ve been released many times. I went on trial with TFC (Toronto FC) the (Vancouver) Whitecaps and I went to a U-20 Canada ID camp, and they all rejected me,” recalled Bitar.
“But what I loved about it when I felt down and didn’t feel I was good enough, when I got home, my family was there to support me and to encourage me to keep going.
“My parents always put a good perspective on it. They always told me to look at the ultimate goal. One person might say no to you, but at the end of the day, you got that experience. You trained  and competed with the best of the best, and I was able to measure myself.
“I knew what I had to do to get back to that level, and I made sure to strive every day to get back to this level.”

It’s safe to say Gabriel Bitar is back and flourishing in the CPL.