Before this year, Sasha Eidsvik had never been on an airplane, but by the end of the year she could be racking up a handful of frequent flyer miles.
The 2015 Howe Sound Secondary School grad is set to join the University of Northern British Columbia鈥檚 women鈥檚 soccer team this fall and is jumping straight from the 麻豆社国产Youth Soccer Association to Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).
Eidsvik was part of the 麻豆社国产United U18 club that traveled to England this spring and it was her first trip on a plane. With UNBC, she will compete all across Western Canada, and she said she鈥檚 thrilled with the opportunity.
鈥淚鈥檓 just so excited,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love playing soccer and it鈥檚 one more step for me in a harder league. I think it鈥檚 going to be a different mindset and the girls will be a lot tougher and more physically built, but I think I can compete.鈥�
The centre-midfielder first hit the grass at Brennan Park at the tender age of five and played the sport every year. She joined a rep team in U12 and played on a travel squad ever since.
Eidsvik could have left 麻豆社国产to play in Vancouver with a Metro club but said she loved playing in 麻豆社国产with her teammates and coaches.
鈥淚 tried out for Metro last year and I made it, but the coaches I have here and the passion my teammates have for the game are so strong,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wanted to stay with my team. Most of the girls, I had played with them from the start, and I wanted to finish it off with them.鈥�
She had played under head coach Andy King ever since U12 and said the group accomplished many goals. They went undefeated and won the Coastal Cup the very first year they were together, won the Classic Cup in 2013 and saved the best for last this year by winning both the regular season and playoffs.
The connection to UNBC helped come together from another 麻豆社国产connection 鈥� 2013 HSSS grad Hannah Rizun, who joined the team a few years back. Rizun helped Eidsvik get on UNBC鈥檚 radar, and from there, Eidsvik impressed the coaches to earn a spot on the team.
鈥淯NBC was one of the schools I wanted to go to,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 went out there in November for a tryout and after that, they told me they鈥檇 see me in the fall.鈥�
The Timberwolves have only been in the CIS since 2013, and Eidsvik said she鈥檚 looking forward to helping build a new legacy for the team.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting, in a way, because it鈥檚 all fresh and we鈥檙e starting fresh,鈥� she said.聽
The club finished in sixth place in its division in 2015 and Eidsvik said she鈥檚 hoping to help out in any way she can. 鈥淚f I travel and get to play as much as I can, then I鈥檒l be happy,鈥� she said.
Eidsvik will study environmental science and wants to eventually become a geologist. She said UNBC should be a great fit academically.
鈥淭hat school is good for what I want to go into, and it鈥檚 nice and small, too,鈥� she said. 鈥淐oming from a small town, I wanted to go somewhere smaller and I鈥檓 looking forward to it.鈥�
UNBC kicks off the preseason in Penticton in late August. For more information on the club, visit www.unbc.ca/timberwolves
