With the departures of Julia Babicz, Lydia Lavigne and Mara McCleary, the UNBC women’s soccer team is hoping its newest recruit can jump in and provide stability on defence.
As of today (Feb. 9), one of those voids could potentially be filled by Jaslin Mandaher, who’s committed to the Timberwolves the next four-to-five years beginning in the 2021-22 season.
Babicz, Lavigne and McCleary were dominant on the Prince George pitch in helping the program reach its third straight playoff appearance in 2019, nabbing UNBC’s first playoff win a year earlier as well.
Mandaher understand the transition from club to U-SPORTS will be a challenge, but she’s confident she can bring poise, athleticism and a big boot to the new T-Wolves’ backline
“I have very good vision of the pitch, and I am able to read the game very well and position myself correctly to win the ball,” the 17-year-old from Surrey explained in a team release.
“I love distributing the ball from the back, making plays, and connecting passes. One of my specialties is free kicks. I love taking free kicks and corner kicks. You might even see me score from a free kick one day.”
As a passion of hers, Mandaher says soccer gives her the ability to escape from life’s everyday struggles and leave everything on the field.
The Fraser Valley FC graduate hopes to channel that energy into developing stronger abilities when she enters Masich Place Stadium for the first time.
“Going from club to U SPORTS will definitely be an interesting experience,” said Mandaher.
“I know the speed of play will be way quicker, and just playing with players five years older than me with high skill level will be quite the challenge. I am up for it, and can’t wait to improve my game as a player.”
Head Coach Neil Sedgwick says Mandaher’s high soccer IQ is what caught his eye in the recruitment phase, which was a challenge in itself during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, based on what he’s seen, he believes Mandaher can fill the big shoes left open on his backline to make an immediate impact.
“She comes with a strong foundation, high-level experiences, and an appetite for competition,” Sedgwick said of his new centreback.
“She is a really experienced defender who sees the game well and is comfortable in possession. I was impressed with her focus, and really think she will develop into a tremendous player for us.”
Mandaher is the fourth player to commit to the UNBC women’s soccer squad for the 2021-22 campaign, which Canada West programs are hoping will take place after 2020-21 was cancelled by COVID-19.
She’ll graduate from École Panorama Ridge Secondary in June and plans to join the Timberwolves for training camp in August, while enrolling in UNBC’s Sciences department to pursue a career in medicine.
