KELOWNA, BC – Surrey product and current BCSPL fullback Violet Bacon is the next student-athlete recruit announced to join the Heat women’s soccer program in 2016. Graduating from Surrey Christian Secondary this June, the 5’7” defensive specialist is ready to take the next step and face the challenge of university level competition.
Bacon brings with her an impressive resume of championship appearances with multiple teams, both within Canada and in the United States. The first of the accomplishments on that list are a pair of consecutive victorious results at the BC Futsol Provincial Championships in 2012 and 2013. In 2013 as well the split fullback/striker won the BC Provincial Championships with her Surrey Christian side, and was a finalist in the BCSPL Championships with her Surrey United 98 team. The list is rounded out in 2015, a year in which she was a participant in the U-18 National Championships, as well as a finalist in both the Las Vegas Mayor’s Championships and the BCSPL League Championships.
Prior to Bacon’s joining the Heat, she has spent her previous five seasons as a member of the same BCSPL team out of Surrey. “I am excited about my commitment to UBC Okanagan’s Heat and think that my experience at the BCSPL level has prepared me well,” said Bacon of her new team-to-be. She continued, speaking on the challenges of the transition, “[h]aving played on the same team for five years the transition may be difficult but I am looking forward to the new experiences with the players and coaches. Playing at the university level is something I have always wanted so I am very excited and happy with this decision.”
Asked what she expects to bring to that competition at the university level, Violet maintains her optimistic and enthusiastic air, “I hope to provide strength and aggression to the back line at the fullback position, though I am also very attack-minded.”
The seventeen-year-old’s feelings on her upcoming participation in the Heat program are matched by her soon-to-be head coach. “I have had the opportunity to see Violet play in the BCSPL and we were happy that she attended our fall player identification camp,” said head coach of the women’s soccer program Claire Paterson. The Heat coach continued, “[s]he was a standout for us at the camp with her strength, game sense and technical ability. We are very happy that she decided to sign with our program and are looking forward to her integrating herself into our back line.”
Violet hopes to do well enough in her studios at IBC Okanagan to provide her with future employment options, as the soon to be first year university student is still pondering career paths along the line of social justice, perhaps as a police officer or social work but her plan will be on studying psychology first.
Violet is the second recruit already signed by Paterson from the Lower Mainland, she joins midfielder Kylee Walker as early signees for 2016.
~ Grayson B. Leahy // Heat communications