The versatile midfielder from Vernon and the TOFC program will stay close to home to play university soccer.
KELOWNA, BC – The Thompson Okanagan Football Club continues to produce talent for the Heat women’s soccer program as Maya Bandy from Coldstream, BC has elected to play university soccer at the Okanagan campus of UBC.
Currently attending Kalamalka Secondary, Bandy, a 5-foot six midfielder, will check off one of her goals by signing with coach Paterson and suiting up in the blue and gold of the Heat.
“Being raised in Vernon,” explains Maya, “I have grown up watching and hearing about the UBC Okanagan women’s soccer team and I have aspired to play with them one day. I am very excited to play with them in the coming season, representing my home area and being coached by Claire Paterson at the CIS level.”
Paterson, entering her ninth season as the head coach of the Heat, is familiar with Maya, who has been playing for Heat assistants Ashlee Davison and Carmen Lindsay on the TOFC Club team since 2013.
“I have had the opportunity to work with Maya over several years in the Whitecaps Okanagan School Academy,” says Paterson. “She has developed into a strong player with good technical ability, vision and composure, her game continued to develop in the BCSPL. It is wonderful Maya has decided to stay close to home and play with the Heat next year.”
Bandy’s resume also includes a spring with Team BC as she was on the BC soccer provincial team in 2014. The versatile midfielder, who has played centre-mid and on both the right and left sides in both defensive and attacking roles so far in her career, played in the Portland Timbers Cup with Team BC and tallied a pair of assists.
Previously Maya a part of Vernon United (2009-2012) and the Whitecaps School Academy (Grades 8-10).
Not just a soccer player, Maya also played for the Kalamalka Lakers on both the volleyball and basketball teams.
A strong student, Maya will enter the science program at UBC Okanagan and major in biology with an eye on the Medicine field as a long term goal.
Bandy will join TOFC teammate and Vernon native Maddy Laranjo as freshmen in the fall of 2016. These two will join Violet Bacon (Fullback, Surrey, BC) and Kylee Walker (FB/MID, Delta, BC) as part of a strong Heat recruiting class.