Caiya Hanks already has her future job waiting, but there’s a catch: the Konawaena senior soccer standout is still in school and intends to head off to college first.
When she graduates from college or decides to leave early, she’ll have a roster spot waiting on the Tampa Bay Rowdies from the Elite Clubs National League program, a U.S. club soccer-sanctioned league founded in 20009.
If the U.S. national teams are focused to develop the next wave of Olympians and Gold Cup players, the ECNL is a level below. It’s an exclusive membership for elite players only.
When Hanks, a two-time All-BIIF pick, was on the mainland at national camps, she caught the eye of Tricia Taliaferro, Tampa Bay’s director of technical development.
“I’ve known the head coach from previous national camps. We reached out to each other. Basically, she invited me to play for them,” Hanks said. “I want to play in college. That’s a better path. Then I’ll go pro.”
Her sister, Jadyn Hanks, was the 2020 Division I co-BIIF player of the year. She’s now a sophomore forward for Idaho, a state well known for its potatoes.
“I would love to play with my sister, but I have other options and offers to consider,” Hanks said. “I started playing a year after my sister when I was 8 years old. I was one of those little sisters who wanted to do everything my older sister did. I want to play college ball and experience that. My sister is loving it.
“Where she is, it’s very country, a lot of farm land. It’s very cold during the winter, below 30 degrees. It’s very interesting for her. She’ll walk around in jeans and slippers in 3 feet of snow.”
Hanks has been a warm weather girl her entire life. She was born in California and moved to Hawaii when she was 5 years old. She even went to Florida to train with the Rowdies from March to May three days a week.
When Hanks had a day off and went to a shopping mall, she was surprised to see how big Tom Brady is. His jerseys were everywhere.
She admits she isn’t a Brady or Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan.
“I can’t say I’m a fan of either,” Hanks said. “I’ll watch football occasionally. I watch Neymar clips and Marta of the Orlando Pride. I love her versatility on the ball. She’s left-footed but can go both ways. She’s skillful and eager to get the ball in the back of the net.
“I feel most comfortable at outside forward. There’s more space to dribble and have the ball at my feet.”
When Hanks worked out the Rowdies, she noticed a definitive difference between the pro level and any other type of competition she’s faced.
“The competitiveness and drive for every single player is off the charts,” Hanks said. “Everyone wanted to be there and train. There was communication and talking. It was very surreal. I’m so glad I was able to experience that.”
She’s been to Maui a few times recently for workouts with the state’s top players. But now like the rest of her peers in the BIIF, everyone has to sit on pins and needles to wait if there will be a season in 2021.
But whenever she’s ready, the Tampa Bay Rowdies will be waiting for her arrival.
