Kamloops, BC—The PAC WEST Champion Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s soccer team has its first recruit for the 2012 season. Head coach Tom McManus is pleased to announce the commitment of center midfielder Kindra Maricle of Kamloops, BC to his squad.
Maricle played last season (2010-11) with the both the Thompson Okanagan Football Club (TOFC) and the Kamloops Blaze U-18 rep team. Maricle will graduate from Valleyview Secondary School in June.
“I have worked with Kindra for the last five years since I arrived in Kamloops,” said McManus. “ I have worked with in the District Development Centre. She is an outstanding player. She is very, very talented and quick. She has a great shot. She has played in the Super Y league the past three or four years. She made the TOFC club but unfortunately, they folded after the mini-season.”
“I really like the program and I really love Tom as a coach, the 5’8” Maricle said about her decision not to go elsewhere to go to university and to play soccer. Maricle turned down offers from Quest and some U.S. Colleges to stay at TRU, where she will take general studies starting in September 2012.
Maricle has played soccer since she was five. Originally a defender, she moved to the midfield in recent years. She also has experience as a forward and back up goalie (for the U-18 KYSA squad in 2010-11 under former WolfPack assistant coach Kelly Shantz).
“Becoming a member of the WolfPack is a dream come true,” states Maricle, who was a ball girl at TRU games while growing up and playing through the KYSA Rep ranks. “ I have always looked up the girls on the WolfPack, I can’t believe I could soon be one of them.”
Her former high school, Chad McIntosh is a TRU Alumni, playing for the University College of the Cariboo in the early 1990’s. He has a lot of praise for Maricle. “ She is a hard worker with really good skills and has passion for the game. I think she will have a quick adjustment to PAC WEST play. She is determined and never gives up and has the desire to do what it takes to be one of the better players. I think she is going to be physically able to move to the next level.”
Valleyview finished 10 th at the BC “AA” Girls High School Championships in 2011.
McManus says Maricle’s skills and character fitting in with his returnees for this coming season. “With us losing Ashley Piggot (Prince George, BC) this year, there is a hole in center midfield. She (Maricle) could be the answer. We wont know that until August when training camp starts.”
The coach says Piggot is a quiet leader while Maricle can be both quiet and very vocal at times. He says her physical presence reminds him a lot of former WolfPack and KYSA player Bronwyn Crawford.
When she was asked to assess her strengths, she said: “ I think my leadership ability and my desire to win. I am a strong player who doesn’t back down when challenged. And so far, knock on wood, I’ve been injury free.”
McManus says at the very least, Maricle will make training camp interesting with a number of girls battling for the open spot in the midfield. “We have a few center midfielders coming in right now and some of our ‘red shirts’ play that position as well,” he says. “They are all looking to get that spot that Ashley has left. I am very impressed with Kindra as a player. I have liked her for a long time and I am really happy to have her signed in here.”
McManus is enthusiastic to have another local player from Kamloops commit to the program and play the sport locally at its highest level. “ I think it shows what is happening throughout Kamloops. We have a number of great, quality players here. The girls are phenomenal and have done a great job. Blair Mackay, Alanna Bekkering, Maddy Reid—they are all Kamloops girls. Kindra is just the latest. She will surprise a lot of people.”
The WolfPack have their 2012 PAC WEST training camp set for Hillside Stadium in mid August.
