The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women's soccer program continues to accumulate 'blue chip' prospects for the future.
Head coach Mark Pennington has signed yet another highly touted prospect with the announcement that Caylah (pronounced Kayla) Lemon of Surrey has committed to the program as of August,2020.

Lemon is a 5'7" center back who will graduate this June from Burnsview Secondary School Ecole in Delta BC.  She has spent the last four seasons playing in the BCSPL with Coastal FC.   Coincidently, her coach with Coastal FC in 2016-17 was Pennington.

"Mark was the biggest attraction in me considering Thompson Rivers, " Lemon said. " I played for him for three seasons where twice we were provincial champions. During my visit, I felt an instant comfort with the players, facility and the school. There is a real sense of community here."

The Surrey, BC resident adds, "The investment from the City and sponsors in the athletic facilities, new buildings and renovations were very impressive. Kamloops and the TRU campus have a great community feeling to them."

Lemon thinks her adjustment to U SPORTS play will be made a little easier since she is currently playing and training with players of that caliber right now.   " I look forward to the physicality of the USPORTS level.  I think my biggest adjustment will be the rest and recovery with a condensed season."

The WolfPack's women's soccer program continues a rebuild, something Lemon isn't taking lightly. " Being part of a rebuilding program is exciting but also a big challenge. My goal is to be a rock and leader on the backline for the team and help take some pressure off our goalies."

Says Pennington about Lemon, his seventh announced recruit for the 2020-21 season, ""Caylah is a player I know very well, as I coached her through part of her youth career, so I know first-hand how dedicated and impactful she can be. Caylah is a gifted player that has played at the Provincial Team level and I am super excited to work with her again here with the WolfPack. She will bring a great work ethic and I am certain she will have a massive impact both on the field and with the overall growth of the program."

Steve Duffy has been Lemon's coach with Coastal F.C. the past three years. "Caylah has been our starting central defender on our 2002 BCSPL girls team and most recently is starting at that position on our Coastal FC Women's premier team. Caylah is always one to ask a lot of questions, she really took ownership of her own development and with that she progressed quickly.  She's a very composed player. Nothing really phase's her out there. She is calm no matter what."

Duffy believes Lemon's biggest challenges adjusting to life in Canada West will be the physicality and the speed.

Lemon looks forward to being a part of the WolfPack's community efforts, "Helping others is part of my DNA and a core value of being a "Lemon"!  My parents demonstrated this by always being active in the community through coaching, and volunteering at community events.  From a young age we helped my dad at community events for the fire department when he ran "fire combat challenges for little kids".  I have been assisting the 2005 BCSPL Coastal girls' team for a few years. It feels great to have a connection with younger players and provide guidance as they navigate sports and school.  I also do this with our junior sports team at high school, as well as referee and scorekeep."

Lemon helps Duffy with that 2005 team and he says "Caylah is a real role model to those girls, she has a lot of time for them."

And as far as being a role model, " I hope that being myself, doing the best I can at all times and being kind to others will make me like the other student athletes at TRU. In doing those things-we are all role models on and off the field."

She adds, " I am excited to join coach Penno and such a great group of women who represent the WolfPack as well as join the community at Thompson Rivers."
 
Lemon is currently playing with Coastal FC in the Metro Women's Premier Soccer league along with fellow WolfPack recruit Gurneet Dhaliwal.

Other committed recruits besides Lemon and Dhaliwal are :Chloe Nadeau (5'3" Center Midfield,  Big Fork, Montana-Flathead High School)  Raiya Rumo ( 5'6" Centre Back, Courtice, ON-Eastdale CVI/ Oshawa Kicks),  Hawan Abdissa (5'6"  Wing/Midfield Calgary, AB-All Saints High School/Calgary Football Club), Maria Iannone (5'3" Striker/Mid/Wing, Penticton, BC-Penticton Secondary/Pinnacles FC ), and Tatiana Mueller (5'7" Center back, Kamloops, BC-South Kamloops Secondary/TOFC)
More announcements are set to be made in the coming weeks.