Ice in her veins: How Karima Lemire is solidifying her place as the Tides' most trusted player

If Canadian Men's National Team striker Jonathan David is "the Iceman", a nickname coined for the Ottawa-native's cool demeanour under pressure, then it might be fair to call Tides midfielder Karima Lemire "the Icewoman" as she's quietly become a lynchpin for Halifax's midfield. And whether you prefer the eye test, the stress test or a healthy dose of statistics, there's little doubt that Lemire is solidifying her place as perhaps interim head coach Stephen Hart's most trusted outfield player.

So, how does the 26-year old midfielder, whose experience includes professional stops in Germany with Turbine Potsdam and in Portgual with Clube de Albergaria, describe herself?

"I'm a calm player, I'm able to do well under pressure and I understand the tactical side of football pretty well," she told HFX Football Post in an exclusive interview. "I'm pretty much the same (off the pitch). I'm calm, some people would say I'm pretty nonchalant. I'm not really an intense person, I'd say. I'm quite the opposite."

That calmness in midfield is one of several reasons the Tides opted to recruit the Longueuil, Qué., product for their inaugural season. It's also why, aside from a stint as a left-back, she's risen to prominence in the Tides' starting XI as a defensive midfielder, her position of choice.

The launch of the Northern Super League (NSL), she explained, came at the right time in her career.

"I was in Portugal and not really enjoying my time there. I knew about the NSL coming into Canada but with my agent, we weren't sure how it'd be. We didn't really know how big it'd be. The opportunity came in January and I decided this was my chance to try this. It was a fresh start at home," said Lemire.

The NSL provided Lemire the platform to come home after her experiences in Europe. But, as shared by Tides sporting director Amit Batra, she had to earn her place like anybody else.

"For Karima, when we scouted her, she was playing as a central defensive midfielder, as a No. 6. In training, her body positioning and reading of the play, was really valuable when she played in the full-back position for us. The fact that she can then move into the midfield — and it took an injury to make that happen — she stepped up in that position," said Batra.

"I don't know that's what we expected but we knew she had that in her. She makes us look good in the way she's proving herself to be a really significant player in the league and for the Tides team."

Lemire held her own in those first five matches as a left-back before being returned to a midfield role, a change she credited with helping her season.

“I feel much better, more comfortable, I would say. I think playing mid, I’ve gained a little bit of confidence and I feel it in the way I play, being in the right place. I’m really enjoying my time right now," she said.

The statistics don't lie: Lemire was the first Tides player to hit 1,000 minutes and leads the club with 1,261 minutes played through 16 matches. Her 745 touches is bested only by defenders Sara Olai and Éva Frémaux. And she's found a way to chip in offensively, too, adding an assist and eight shots so far this season.

Lemire isn't flashy. She isn't one to wow with wonderful feats of skill or panache. But she's dependable, always there and ready to serve as a release valve or to safely shuffle the ball away from the opposition's press. And she can step up or break a line, when needed. Mostly, she steadies the squad, like the gentle and ever-present hush of the ocean.

What's perhaps most telling is Lemire has proven to be a starter under two head coaches, finding her name in the XI 15 out of 16 matches. She noted that Hart's arrival represented a fresh start, an opportunity for players who were out of favour to get more minutes. Yet still she rose to the top. However, Lemire doesn't necessarily view herself as a leader, especially with players like former Canadian Women's National Team 'keeper Erin McLeod on the roster.

"I'm more of, I'd not say shy, but I do my own thing. I prefer to lead by example than to be this loud leader. It's not really my thing. I saw in Europe how it's done at different levels so I'm trying to recreate that as much as possible in my behaviours," explained Lemire.

"The standards of the (NSL) are really high, I'd say it's even better than some leagues in Europe, for sure. I'm really impressed with the organization of the league."

Given her age, it's reasonable to expect Lemire will only continue to get better over the next couple of seasons. But for right now, the midfielder is looking to help the Tides claw their way up from the bottom of the table. There's little doubt she'll do so with a coolness that's characteristic for her.

Cover Photo Credit: Halifax Tides FC