Submitted photos – Caitlyn Canepa celebrates her letter signing with her family at CR this week.

By Ray Hamill — McKinleyville senior Caitlyn Canepa is taking her talents to College of the Redwoods after signing a letter of commitment this week to play for the local community college after graduation.

And it was an easy decision for the standout soccer player and her new coach.

Canepa, who says she considered committing to play for colleges out of the area, opted instead to play for the Corsairs and head coach Taylor McMillin, who has worked closely with the Panthers goalkeeper at local travel club Sequoia FC for the past few years.

“We are extremely excited to add Caitlyn to our roster for Fall of 2024,” McMillin said. “She is going to play big minutes for us in the goal.

“Caitlyn had an amazing couple of seasons for her high school career as well as club and I know she will continue to work hard and be an impact player at College of the Redwoods.”

Canepa, who was named Big 4 MVP goalkeeper in her senior campaign this past fall, has played travel club soccer for the past five years, including the past three with McMillin as her coach.

“She knew me as a player and we chatted and she asked me if I would like to play at CR,” said Canepa, who has been one of the most respected shot-stoppers in the H-DNL since her freshman year.

And the Mack senior is looking forward to the opportunity to play at the next level and see her game improve.

“I’m excited,” she said. “It’ll be more competitive.”

Canepa leaves behind an impressive legacy playing for the Panthers, including an outstanding senior year between the posts.

“If teams scored on her it was never going to be an easy goal,” McKinleyville head coach Brady Burtchett said. “If they scored on her you know it was going to be a good shot.

“She kept us in a lot of games. And she was definitely our MVP. We could count on her.”

The standout senior has played soccer for “as long as I can remember,” including four “amazing” years with the McKinleyville varsity team and with travel clubs AC Samoa and Sequoia FC. 

And she says she will always remember her time with the Panthers and the friendships she built while playing with the team.

Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

Submitted photo

“I loved it there. I loved playing with the girls there,” she said, before adding with a chuckle, “it seems funny talking about it in the past tense. 

“I had an amazing time. It was so much fun to be around the team.

“I just think the team bonding is what I’ll remember the most. I love how we all got along.”

Her two high school coaches — Adam Canepa and Burtchett — both played a big role in helping to shape the future college player.

“They’re both amazing coaches,” she said. “They helped me to get louder and both helped hone my skills.”

So too has her time playing with the local travel clubs.

“It made me so much better,” she said. “It’s taken me to a whole new level. It helped me adapt to different situations.”

Submitted photo

Two other people also had a big influence on her career.

“There’s been so many (influences for me) throughout the years,” she added. “I’ve met so many great people (through soccer). My parents (Robert and Julie) have been big influences.”

After playing as a defensive player for several years at the recreation level, Canepa moved to goalkeeper as a sixth grader and never looked back.

“In the sixth grade I started playing goalkeeper because nobody else wanted to to do it and it looked like fun,” she said.

That move has definitely paid off and Canepa, who hopes to go on to play at four-year school after her time at CR, has enjoyed the journey and is appreciative of all the support she has received along the way.

“I want to thank everybody,” she said. “It’s been an amazing journey.”