KAMLOOPS — It was love at first sight for Madison Catt. The Vernon athlete says she took one look at Hillside Stadium and Thompson Rivers University and knew she wanted to attend school there and play for the women’s soccer program.
The 5-foot-7 recent graduate of Clarence Fulton Secondary has committed to play for head coach Kelly Shantz and the ‘Pack starting in August.
“I heard nothing but great things about TRU and the people with the program,” said Catt, who played high school soccer for Fulton, but was also enrolled in the Whitecaps Vernon School Academy and played for the Thompson Okanagan Football Club.
“I have family and friends who live in Kamloops which made the decision to come here ideal,” she said. “It isn’t too far from home either. I fell in love with the stadium and the facilities at first glance as well as my desired program.”
Catt has enrolled in courses in the bachelor of science program with a long-term goal of entering the bachelor of nursing degree at TRU. She was also considering attending UBCO in Kelowna and Providence and New Hampshire universities.
Catt is a fullback and spent three years under the direction of Jason Thompson with TOFC.
“Madison has a fantastic attitude and personality,” said Thompson. “She brings a lot to the table that way. Her strengths are her ability to take information in and apply it to a game situation. She reads the game quite well.”
As far as her performance with TOFC, Thompson added: “She was defensively solid. We worked on her attacking presence from the fullback role and she was attacking from the flanks on a regular basis.”
Former University of Victoria Vikes player Eric Ladner was her high school coach at Fulton the last three years. “She was captain in both her grade 11 and 12 years,” he said. “She played central defender and sweeper during her time here. We have played in a 4-4-2 and 3-4-2 alignment. She is a great leader, committed to fitness and improvement as a player. Madison is a well-rounded individual with social, academic, athletic and personal goals.”
When asked about her strengths, Ladner stated: “ A strong passer-long passer. A patient defender. She has made improvements in her strength in the past year; noticeable in her speed and toughness. I feel she is ready for Canada West play. I see her in the sweeper role or outside defender. Maddy is very coachable and has a happy determined demeanor.”
She helped the Maroons to the Zone championship every year she attended Fulton as well as a third-place finish in the Okanagan Valley championships two of those seasons.
Catt joins fellow recruits: Emily Mann (midfield, Kamloops), Olivia Bates (centre midfield, Courtenay), Camryn Curts (centre mid, Courtenay), Abbie Simms (forward, Comox), Rylee Singleterry (defender, Surrey) and Danielle Robertson (keeper, Courtenay).
Said WolfPack head coach Kelly Shantz: “Bringing Madison on board to the program is one of those rewarding moments you get as a coach with young people and their goals and dreams. Madison has been persistent in letting me know she wanted to pursue university soccer and her academics at TRU and with the WolfPack and then she set about making I sure knew she meant business. I have watched her play many times with her U18 BCSPL team at TOFC and she showed me, game in game out, the kind of traits we cherish as a coach. Maddi is a gamer who never gives up, never gets down, never appears to get rattled by setbacks or circumstance and is positive and focused on her play and with her team-mates. She has a ready smile, looks you in the eye and carries a “can-do” attitude. Her character is a big reason she impressed me and our assistant coaches at our Spring ID Camp.
“Madison knows she has work to do at the U-Sports level and is committed to do whatever that takes. I see her as a solid utility player who can play a variety of positions in support of our veterans while she learns her craft and maybe adds some size and strength as she matures. She knows she will either make the lineup and start her career right away or work hard as a red-shirt and build for the future. No matter what the role ends up being I have no doubt Madi will be an important contributor to our growth as a team this year.”
The WolfPack begin training for the 2017-18 season in early August.
THROW INS: Catt on being a part of the WolfPack’s community effort: “I am eager to get involved. I volunteer on a regular basis in my hometown. I was a Vernon Ambassador (56th Queen Silver Star) for the past two years which meant huge exposure to media attention 24/7 as well as work within the community and all the events we have here.” She adds: “ I don’t know any of the current members of the WolfPack but I know of a few from the men’s soccer team (Finlay McPhie, Mike Bennett, recruit Scott Cramer). I also know a few of the players that have already signed and will be my fellow teammates this year.” Catt lists McPhie’s late father and her former coach Neil as her biggest influences aside from her parents Neil and Bobbi. “He inspired me to never give up and once he passed away from brain cancer, I now aspire to play for him and honor his memory.”