Brittany Heinrich-Always There
Women’s Soccer
Defender
Fifth year
The
role of a central defender in soccer is an unheralded position. For the
most part you are only noticed when you make a mistake. It is not a
glory position. To play the position well you need to be able to play
the ball well in the air and on the ground, be able to start an attack
as well as stop a potential threat and you need to be strong and
willing to deal with contact. Other then the keeper you are the last
line of defense.
The Spartans Brittany Heinrich has been going
about doing her job with a smile on her face for the last five years.
From the sideline you may not have noticed her, but the visiting team’s
forwards are always aware of where the 5’11” Kelowna native is situated
on the field. “I want my year of girls to continue this legacy we
started and keep it continual. I want our team to be a team that’ll be
feared because we are a strong team and we will fight and play right
until the end. This year, I want our defense to be the strongest D in
Canada West,” said Heinrich.
She has played in 74 matches and
started in all but two and this past weekend she became only the second
player in school history to log more than 4,000 minutes, with 4,207 -
trailing only teammate Lindsay Rohla with 4,371. Not bad for a player
who wasn’t on the top of the recruiting list coming out of high school.
“I wanted to play soccer after high school at the University level.
Graham would tell you that I was at the bottom of recruits he was
trying to recruit so we laugh and still joke about that now. I was one
of his biggest surprises.”
"Brittany
has shown throughout her career what a top notch, and valuable central
defender she is. It has been a joy for me to see her develop more and
more each year, and now in her 5th year I feel that she is playing at
the top of her game. She defends tenaciously, wins crucial balls in the
air and has formed a formidable partnership centrally with Whitney
Agassiz. She helps anchor our back line, and has the ability to help
start our attack from the back,” said TWU head coach Graham Roxburgh.
“I have been very impressed with her work rate, her competent play so
far this season and she has had an outstanding start to her 5th year.
Brit in my opinion has the ability to be recognized as one of the best
center backs in CIS."
In her past four seasons with the Spartans
Heinrich has seen the high’s and low’s while being part of a program
that has grown into being recognized as one of the best in the nation.
Along with her fellow fifth year’s Brittany has two Canada West
Championship gold medals and a CIS National Championship medal. “Never
in a million years would I have thought prior to me coming here would I
have had the chance to experience winning a CIS National Championship,”
said Heinrich.
Brittany has been part of an amazing program
over her time at TWU. But she still keeps everything in perspective
when she steps on the field. “One of my favorites Bible verses comes
from 2 Timothy: 2 Timothy 1:7 because it says ‘we weren't given a
spirit of timidity but one of power, love and self discipline.’ My
prayer before every game is this; that God would give me a spirit of
power so I can be physical and aggressive, love so I can show fans and
our competitors that God lives in me and self-discipline so I can be
composed on the ball and make the right choices. I play for God every
time I step foot on the pitch because He has blessed me with this
incredible talent to play soccer. I am grateful for this opportunity
and just want to show that by praising Him by playing the best I can in
thankfulness. He is my number one fan.”
Where will Brittany end
up after her career on the TWU soccer pitch is done, not even she
knows. “I have so many ambitions that Id love to do. I would love to be
a lawyer get into parliament get into criminology maybe join the CIA
become the next Hazel Mae - we'll see what happens. Realistically, I'm
aiming to possibly be a political advisor or get involved in the UN.”
Where ever she ends up you can be sure that people will know where Brittany is - on or off the field.
Last Updated: 2008-01-10
Email: aestewart@wei.org