Earnest Manning High School product Justine Hesch will join Claire Paterson’s UBC Okanagan Heat for the 2015 Canada West women’s soccer season.
It was her visit to the Heat’s last Spring ID camp that solidified Hesch’s decision. “I fell in love with the UBC Okanagan campus on my first tour last summer,” she said.
A jack-of-all trades growing up as she honed her soccer skills, Hesch has played mostly fullback alongside some striker duties. Currently a center back/fullback for her club team the Calgary Foothills, the 5-foot-9 Hesch will bring a strong body to the Heat’s backline, where she will most likely fit in as a center back.
Hesch has described herself as possessing excellent command and communication with teammates to go alongside her physical presence which she uses to pressure and tackle the opposing forwards effectively.
The right-footed back-liner has consistently been ahead of the curve, having gotten the call to play for her U16 Blizzard Juventus Tier 1 team a year underage. She went on to play straight through U18 underage, filling in at fullback.
A leader on her high-school squad, Hesch led Earnest Manning to back-to-back High School Gold Medals in 2012 and 2013. Her exploits have also extended internationally, having collected Gold at the 2012 Copa Del Mar Invitational Tournament in San Diego, CA, as well as the Silver at the Las Vegas Mayor’s Cup in the same year.
“I am excited that Justine has decided to join our program,” coach Claire Paterson said of Hesch. “She is a strong physical presence on the field and is a very confident centre defender. She has good experience with club and [the] Alberta Provincial program and we are looking forward to working with her this fall.”
The transition to university studies and university soccer is always a tough transition, but Hesch is looking forward to the opportunity. “I am really excited to experience the caliber of play that CIS has to offer, as well as the positive atmosphere that the coaching staff creates for their players.”
