UBC Okanagan women’s soccer coach Claire Paterson has nabbed another Calgary product to further bolster her inaugural CIS roster.
Cassie Bratton, out of Central Memorial High School, is set to join the Heat for the 2014 Canada West season.
Highly competitive on the field and in the classroom, the 5-foot-6 forward came up through the Calgary Chinooks Soccer Club, and was hooked on the Okanagan School, and the area at the Heat’s spring ID camp. She instantly “fell in love with the campus.”
Bratton, also an accomplished sprinter and skier, will bring speed and strong athleticism at the forward end for a Heat squad in need of more strength at that end with a slew of graduating seniors this year.
Besides keeping herself occupied with soccer, the multi-sport athlete also finds time to compete at a high level in volleyball, cross country and several track and field sprinting events. Aside from her high school soccer squad, she has also plays club soccer for the Calgary West Chinook Royals, and was nominated for high school athlete of the year both in 2013 and 2014.
“Cassie did really well at our spring player ID camp, standing out both days with her pace and tenacity to go to goal,” Paterson said of her newest recruit. “I am excited that Cassie has decided to sign with the Heat this fall as we look to build the roster for our first season in the CIS.”
Self-described as coachable, competitive and motivated, Bratton is enthused about her future at UBC Okanagan athletically and academically. She will be entering the management program where she hopes to continue the academic success she achieved in high school, where she will be graduating with honours.
Fast on the field and with the reply Cassie is quick to respond when asked about the onset of her university career.
“I can’t wait to call Kelowna home, and not to mention, put that beautiful gym and field to use,” explained Bratton. “I am very excited to play my first CIS season as a UBCO Heat athlete.”
Paterson’s list of recruits continues to grow for the upcoming season. Cassie joins midfielder Susan Traynor as newcomers from Calgary while Emma Nelsen, another midfielder, hails from Vancouver. Courtney Hemmerling is a hometown forward from Kelowna.
These four plus the rest of the women’s soccer roster will be in Kelowna in August for training camp with schedules for the upcoming Canada West soccer season to be released mid-June.
