Four Islanders who cut their teeth with the Upper Island Riptide program are helping the Thompson Rivers University women’s soccer team move forward.
Three of the players are sophomores from the Comox Valley: Danielle Robertson, who is the starting keeper for the WolfPack; midfielder Camryn Curts, who was a finalist in the newcomer-of-the-year category for TRU sports last season; and winger Abbie Simms. The other member is Natalie Verdiel, a fourth-year player from Powell River who is a co-captain of this year’s squad. In a recent development, Curts has also been named a team captain.
“Camryn certainly showed last year that she was going to be a force to be reckoned with in this team and in this league, and earned it,” head coach Kelly Shantz said. “She’s a great leader. And Danielle had a terrific season last year. I think she should have been on the rookie team as the best rookie goalie in the league.”
Simms needed to postpone school for personal reasons last year, but Shantz was thrilled to hear she wanted back on the squad.
“She’s worked really hard to get back. She’s the life of the bus, and has added a lot of off-the-field personality to what we do.”
After a tough start last year, TRU was pushing for a playoff spot by season’s end.
“We had 15 freshmen last year, which is ridiculous,” Shantz said. “We put a couple of motivational builders into our program, and how we react to bad things. Do we lift each other up, or do we let each other dwell in negativity? That really helped turn a corner.”
Though the team has yet to face elite sides such as UBC or UVic, the lady Wolves are nevertheless stringing together some wins during training camp. Earlier in the month, they put together an undefeated three-match exhibition tour of Washington State. The team added another exhibition victory Wednesday, defeating Whatcom Community College 1-0 in Bellingham, Wash.
“There’s no question we’ve made huge inroads,” said Shantz, who credits the girls for working hard during the off-season. “I’m surprised, as a coach, at how well we’re doing. And I don’t mean on the field. More importantly, it’s how well we’re doing in training and coming together.
“We’re still super young,” he added. “I wasn’t completely optimistic about how quick our camp would start, that we would take time to figure each other out and start to play well…We’re already working on set plays. That just shows that my teaching and the culture that I’ve tried to bring in the last couple of years is having an impact on the returning players, because they’re coming back ready.
“We’re ecstatic with training camp. I’m really looking forward to the season. We’re a good side now.”
TRU kicks off the USports Canada West season Sept. 8 in Kamloops against the MacEwan University Griffins of Edmonton. The team hosts the University of Northern B.C. the following day.
“It’ll be a good first test for us,” Shantz said.
•Several Riptide players who have graduated high school are moving onto the university level. Kaleigh Harris and Cameron Kearns are attending theUniversity of Lethbridge, Olivia Sellentin will be at St. Francis Xavier University, Jared Pares and Emma Skalik will attend the University of Victoria, and Toni Powsey is off to Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Wash.
Several other Riptide members will be playing soccer and attending school at the Danish Efterskole, a form of boarding school unique to Denmark. They are Tristan Plater, Sydney Sunderland, Birgit Power, Maddy Harris and Kaleigh Claire.
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