The Province

Shanya Dhindsa

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SCHOOL: Panorama Ridge (Surrey) FRESHMAN’S FUTURE: Washington State

In a manner of speaking, you could say that Shanya Dhindsa has developed a pronounced appreciati­on for the pronunciat­ion of her given name.

That’s because, as the perfect conversati­on starter, it’s one way in which the Vancouver Whitecaps’ youth standout has been able to show the best side of herself as a communicat­or and team leader.

“I get asked about it a lot,” laughs Dhindsa, whose given name is the phonetic equal of Canadian songstress Shania Twain. “My mom was just trying to be unique.”

Now, as she prepares for a collegiate soccer adventure next season in the Pac 12 at Washington State University, both her name and her game seem perfectly meshed.

“Soccer has changed my life, it’s shaped me into who I am,” the talented striker begins. “It’s made me a more social person. It’s given me a confidence that has helped me communicat­e better with everyone. I was always just talking. Now I listen to people. It’s all helped me to become a better leader.”

It may seem like a small part of a much-bigger picture, yet it’s a part of her persona that will serve her well in her first extended experience away from the safety of home.

“One of the great things about going away to a new environmen­t is that you’re put in a position where you have to learn to communicat­e with people from different background­s and perspectiv­es,” says Ryan Clark, Whitecaps manager of collegiate transition. “Shanya is already that person. When we held our showcase weekend here, when she wasn’t playing, she was helping us in the coaches’ lounge, greeting hundreds of university coaches.”

Her smile seems omnipresen­t.

Yet, Dhindsa will admit that during a stretch in which nagging shin splits and a concussion kept her off the field for an extended period, she fought through some very depressing times.

“But I’ve realized that mindset won’t help me get where I want to be,” says Dhindsa, who recently attended the Canadian Under-20 team’s western identifica­tion camp.

Dynamic in the attacking areas, her package of athletics and academics was envious enough that no less than Harvard made her an offer.

“They all say you will know when you find your school, but I didn’t understand that until I got there,”says Dhindsa, who is thinking of majoring in communicat­ions at WSU, with the thought of becoming a sportscast­er when her soccer days are done. “I knew what I wanted, and I could just see myself walking around the campus with my knapsack.”

For Shanya Dhindsa, it was most definitely a moment of pronounced appreciati­on.

 ?? RICHARD LAM/PNG ??
RICHARD LAM/PNG

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