GNS Student Selected to Whitecaps REX

June 5, 2020

Academics

GNS

Congratulations to Ashley Roberts ’24 who has been selected to the Whitecaps REX team for the upcoming 2020/2021 season. She is being recognized by the club for her dedication to soccer. Ashley has chosen to remain in Victoria for one more year so that she may continue to play with the ’06 Wave Boys team for another season, in addition to playing with REX. Ashley’s coaches and trainers see this as the ideal scenario for her high level of play as well as it being a privilege to be a part of both ’U15 Elite REX and ’06 Wave boys

“It feels crazy awesome,” she said. “It was a nerve-racking process, but it made the success feel so much better. Once I was selected, it wasn’t over though. Every practice and game is one where I want to perform my best.”

This season, Ashley is playing with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Pre Girls Elite U14 team and recently won the 2005 Phase 2 play-offs with her ’05 Girl’s Wave team (playing a year up) as well as a semi-final finish with the ’06 Wave Boys team.

Ashley has developed as a player through her eight years with the Bays United Soccer Club where she played house from U6 through U12 and also enrolled in their technical development training sessions.

During her final season with Bays in 2017, Ashley also played a year up and was instrumental in helping lead the U13 Bays United Gold team to an undefeated season winning the league title, the island title, the Coastal Cup and the Provincial Championships. That same season, Ashley won the Bays 2018 Stewart Memorial Award for effort, skill, sportsmanship, and commitment.

In 2018, Ashley played in the EA Sports BC Soccer Premier League with the Vancouver Island U13 Wave team for a few months before being scouted to the BC Soccer Provincial Program. She was noticed for her attacking centre mid ability. In 2019, Ashley was scouted and selected to join the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Pre Girls Elite U14 team, where she is now a very prominent player.

Being so committed to soccer, she said there is a certain feeling she gets from playing.

“It’s just a feeling really,” she said. “I love having control of the ball and the thrill of doing something impressive and exciting. I like the team aspect and having to work together to win.”

As Ashley’s coaches have said “It is a rare quality for someone of such high talent to also possess the humility that Ashley does on a day-to-day basis. Ashley is a prime example of a player who continues to push herself to be a better soccer player. She puts in dedicated practice time and always does so with a smile reflecting on how to improve her performance to better herself and ultimately her team. Ashley is creative, coachable, trusts her instincts, plays with confidence and makes thoughtful decisions.”

Along with excelling in soccer, Ashley has been dedicated to her schooling at GNS. She says Mr. Burnett, Ms. Pagette and Mr. Marthaller have been instrumental in supporting her endeavors to fully participate and engage in her school work and prefect duties while keeping up her athletic development.

“I would like to thank Mr. Burnett for creating a supportive environment for me at school so that I was able to travel and play with the Whitecaps,” she added.

Congratulations to Ashley and all her hard work for making the Whitecaps REX team!