By Judah Breitbach
“Breaking my femur was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me,” says Pirates back and Sequim high school graduate Heidi Vereide of what might have been a major setback for another player. “It took away soccer for my junior season of high school, and in the absence of soccer I realized how much I loved the game. Breaking my femur also redefined pain for me, and I learned I was capable of so much more. It made me come back physically and mentally stronger and with a renewed passion for the game.”
“I knew I would come back stronger after the injury. I had a goal to play college soccer, and I was going to work against all the odds to get there,” says Vereide. The homegrown talent earned a soccer scholarship at Colorado Christian University after a breakout year in the PC back field.
However, that dream was threatened a few weeks ago when she tore her achilles tendon during routine drills. “Rupturing my Achilles was never something I expected. Re-rupturing it 10 days later was devastating. This second injury probably has limited the lifetime I have left as athlete.
“With that in mind, I plan to embrace this next phase at CCU focused and looking to capitalize on the time I have left. This fall, I will have to take a redshirt season while I rehab and recover, but starting in the spring, I am excited to begin my final journey and work to have a comeback and a success story.”
A redshirt year allows an athlete to train with their team without competing for them. Vereide’s redshirt season will be of the medical variety, allowing her to keep her four years of eligibility without interfering with a regular redshirt year.
“After fracturing my femur I remember learning how to walk again and learning how to run, but always returning to soccer was my focus. When Coach Kanyon gave me the opportunity to be a Pirate, I was so excited.”
Vereide has shown a lot of heart and character on and off the field, according to Women’s Soccer Coach Kanyon Anderson. She also holds the position of Director of Records and Finances with the Associated Student Council.
“Today I still feel privileged that I got the opportunity to play at PC. This program has taught me so much, and it is the main reason I got the opportunity to play on. Life is life. It sucks at times, but hopefully it works out.”
Pirates parade on
Other Pirates signed to soccer programs include defender Audrey Barham, headed to the University of Nevada, Reno. She was accompanied by midfielder Kennedy Whitehead who has since had to cut her soccer career short after a flux of head injuries. Bri Vallente, forward, will play for Cal State, East Bay; Forward Hoku Afong, California Baptist University; Defender Bailie Zuber, University of Colorado Colorado Springs; Forward Coby Yoshimura, Whitworth; Forward Marriah Perez, San Francisco State University; Defender Kameryn Jury-Hale, Western Oregon; Forward Ellie Small will be trying out for the soccer team while she continues her studies at University College Cork in Cork, Ireland through the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
The men’s side is represented by Defender Jose Soto, will be joining is former coach at PC, Cale Rodriguez, at University of California, Irvine; Defender Henry Bernabe will be heading to Marymount University California; Midfielder Jared Ortiz, Notre Dame De Namur University.
Midfielder Salvador Vargas will be put through trials by multiple division one teams in Mexico; Defender Demar Stewart, California State University, San Bernardino; Goalkeeper Josh Heckenlively will work as an assistant manager for the Pirate’s soccer program.