A Maple Ridge soccer standout is moving on to play at the university level in Ontario.

Genica Legge will be attending Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie to play out a scholarship with the Thunderbirds next season.

Legge said she appreciates the small classes and strong academic emphasis at the school. A straight-A student in Grade 11, the Samuel Robertson Technical graduate she plans to study business next year.

She played her soccer with Albion FC, and is generally a midfielder with the U-18, first division team, although she gets deployed all over the field. She chips in with goals, but is better known for her service setting up teammates.

Rather than go to play in a different association that has teams competing at the highest levels, Legge chose to stay home and play with her friends, and they have been teammates for years.

She said David Buzza has been a really supportive and influential coach, and coach Mike Huber helped her to get connected at Algoma.

“She’s a quiet leader – very humble and dedicated,” said Huber of Legge. “She possesses the character that coaches look for at the university level.”

While many local soccer players move to teams in neighbouring cities to compete at higher levels, Huber said Legge and another three or four of her teammates will play at the university level next year, after having developed in their local association. He said they get good skill development, have learned to love the game, and they have played big minutes at key times – rather than sitting on the sidelines.

On the field, Huber likes her smarts, and while he likes her as an attacking midfielder, Legge can be plugged in anywhere.

“She has the soccer IQ to play any position. She’s strong for her size, but she’s not at her top level yet,” he said. “She should really blossom over the next four or five years.”

READ ALSO: B.C.’s O’Dine picks up Canada’s 7th medal at Beijing Olympics with snowboard cross bronze

READ ALSO: Two Flames on top of PJHL scoring race with two games left