Fraser Valley (Dan Kinvig) – The University of the Fraser Valley women’s soccer program welcomed five new signees to the squad.
All five players are local products who play in the BC Soccer Premier League. Sofia Faremo, Harlisha Virk, Stella Valcamp and Camryn Lyon are teammates at Coastal FC, while Sarah Belcher is a Mountain United FC product.
“They’ll be impactful players long-term for UFV,” enthused Niko Marcina, Cascades head coach. “What I’m most excited about with this group is, each of them has an extremely strong work ethic and will be bringing a lot of leadership qualities this program can utilize.”
Sofia Faremo
5’7” midfielder, Surrey, B.C.
Coastal FC
Elgin Park Secondary
Faremo has been an impact player throughout her BCSPL career, winning a provincial gold medal in 2018 with Coastal FC 2004, and provincial silver medals in 2017 and 2019. She earned player of the game honours in the 2017 B.C. final, and earned back-to-back MVP awards in 2018 and 2019 with her high school soccer squad. She’s also been a member of the B.C. provincial team program since 2017.
“She’s a game-changer in the BCSPL,” Marcina said. “I’d say she’s the most impactful centre-mid at her age in that league, and without question, she will be an impact player from the first year she’s on our roster. I think she offers quite a bit from an offensive standpoint – she can score goals, and she’s also a playmaker. She also has the strength and athleticism to be a very effective defender.”
“I choose UFV because of its good kinesiology program,” Faremo explained. “I also choose it because I believe the school and soccer team could be very good for me and I will have a lot of success here.
“Within my time at the Cascades I hope to meet lots of new people and try new things. I hope to enjoy my time at UFV and find lots of success in academics as well as athletics. I’m excited to meet my new team and coaches and start my journey at UFV.”
Harlisha Virk
5’9” centre back, North Delta, B.C.
Coastal FC
North Delta Secondary
Virk was a standout at Coastal FC, winning a B.C. title and a provincial silver medal. She also helped the squad win the SX Cup in 2016 and 2019, scoring two goals in three games at the latter tournament. The rock-solid centre back was also a member of the BC Soccer provincial team program in 2017 and 2018.
Virk also boasts a multi-sport background, having played for the junior girls basketball team as well as earning team MVP honours with the soccer squad at North Delta Secondary. She was also named athlete of the year in Grade 10 at NDSS.
“Harlisha is a very competitive centre back who’s tough to beat,” Marcina noted. “She’s really good on the ball, and has the composure of a centre mid. The Coastal FC technical director and her head coach praise her ability as a strong defender in matches, and we’re hoping she can bring the same to our program.”
“I chose UFV because of the small class sizes and because of the location,” said Virk, who plans to study biology. “Furthermore, I had seen the UFV women’s soccer team in action and absolutely loved how the team was playing. Their work ethic, determination and passion for the game was what drew me in to UFV even more.
“I would love to win a national championship with the team and also build long-lasting relationships with everyone that I meet.”
Stella Valcamp
5’7” winger, North Delta, B.C.
Coastal FC
Sands Secondary
Valcamp captained her Coastal FC squad, highlighted by a Provincial Cup championship in 2017. She also excelled with her school soccer team, leading the Sands Scorpions in scoring each season she played and earning the school’s athletic award.
Marcina noted that Valcamp’s skillset has been compared to that of current Cascade Jashan Sandhar.
“Stella is an athletic striker who has the ability to score goals, is quite pacey, and has a high soccer IQ,” he said. “She’s highly rated by her coach and the technical staff from Coastal FC, and she has leadership qualities that will fit in quite well with our program.”
“I was drawn to the smaller campus atmosphere and liked its location,” said Valcamp, who plans to pursue a degree in criminology. “I am excited to get to know my new team and coaches, and I hope to be a good addition to the team.”
Camryn Lyon
5’6” left back, Langley, B.C.
Coastal FC
Brookswood Secondary
Lyon began her soccer career at Langley United and spent her U13 and U14 seasons at Surrey Guildford United, before joining Coastal FC, where she won the SX Cup in 2019 and added a provincial silver medal. She’s also been a regular call-up for the Coastal FC senior women’s team, experience which stands her in good stead as she prepares for her university debut.
Other soccer highlights for Lyon include a trip to England to train at Bolton FC Academy, and she helped her Brookswood Bobcats high school team win a Fraser Valley silver medal in 2018. She’s earned several athletic awards at Brookswood, including junior soccer team MVP and the Small Block Award for athletic achievement.
“Camryn is a versatile player who can play a variety of positions,” Marcina said. “She has an extremely strong work ethic and extremely strong leadership qualities, and she’ll be a perfect fit with our program.”
“I chose UFV because academically they have the program that I desire, small class sizes, a positive learning environment and the location is perfect,” said Lyon, who plans to enrol in kinesiology. “I first met Niko and some of the girls at a camp and I knew right away that I liked the team environment they were building. Everyone is super nice and inviting. Overall, UFV checked all my boxes and I am super excited to start next year.
“For my time with the Cascades, I hope to make a positive impact both on and off the field. I want to continue to develop as a player and grow as a leader.”
Sarah Belcher
5’5” fullback, Langley, B.C.
Mountain United FC
Walnut Grove Secondary
Belcher began her youth soccer career at Langley FC, and was part of the Whitecaps academy. She played for Fraser Valley Premier from 2015-2017, highlighted by a Seattle Cup title at U13 and a Labor Day Cup triumph at U14. She was also a provincial team player from the U13 to U15 level. Belcher transferred to Mountain United FC for her U15 season, and was named MUFC player of distinction in her first year at the club.
Belcher also excelled for her school soccer team, having played for the senior girls squad at Walnut Grove since Grade 8.
“Sarah is a pacey, strong-in-possession fullback who has the ability to get forward and provide a lot in the offensive third,” Marcina said. “She also has an amazing work ethic and strong leadership qualities, and we’re pleased she’s chosen to sign with our program.”
“I chose UFV because of the strong women’s soccer program and the amazing kinesiology department,” Belcher said. “I hope to grow both individually and as a team player at the university level. During my time at UFV I hope to play a significant role in the team’s successes.”
