Whitney Anderson is making the jump to university soccer and to do that she's staying put in her hometown.
The 17-year-old Westside Academy Grade 12 student has signed a letter of commitment to join the UNBC Timberwolves.
Whitney's arrival on the recruitment train comes as a time when her older sister Ashley is on the verge of graduating from UNBC. Ashley has played four years for the T-wolves as a midfielder.
"I saw my sister playing at UNBC, so I wanted to be able to play with her," Whitney Anderson said. "I started really improving when I was 14 years old, and that's when I realized I wanted to play at the university level."
The younger Anderson, also a midfielder, plans to enrol in the general studies program at UNBC, beginning in September. She's been working out with the team playing indoors at the Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre, where she's gotten to know head coach Neil Sedgwick.
"I think he has a lot of good, unique skills to teach me," Anderson said. "I have already learned a lot just in the past few weeks of training that I didn't know before. It's really exciting. I've played soccer my whole life, so playing at this level is something I have always wanted to do.
"I just want to get more confident. I want to work on my first touch, and earn some playing time. I want to bring my pace and energy to the team, and I love to play at a high tempo."
Sedgwick has been monitoring her progress in the Prince George Youth Soccer Association, the Whitecaps Academy program and UNBC's prospects camps.
"Whitney is one of those players who floats with the ball at her foot," said Sedgwick.
"She is determined to find every detail which will make her a better player. I am excited to see where Whitney will be in August as a player and then to be part of her growth throughout her career at UNBC."
