Story submitted by Dan O’Connor, UNBC Athletics:
On October 3rd, 2025 the UNBC Timberwolves Women’s Soccer team hosted their inaugural Kick for the Cure night — a first-of-its-kind moment under the bright lights at Masich Place Stadium.
For the first time in program history, the Timberwolves took the pitch in all-pink, cancer-themed kits — jerseys, shorts, and socks — each proudly displaying the names of 38 individuals who have faced cancer. Some continue to inspire us with their strength today, while others live on through memory and legacy.
Among those names was Brad Erb — the late father of UNBC Women’s Soccer alumna Kylie Erb.
It was Brad, and countless others like him, who inspired UNBC to become the first Canada West soccer program to design, purchase, and wear custom cancer-awareness kits.
But even though the game has since come and gone, the Timberwolves “Kick for the Cure” campaign remains active.
This is Kylie’s story.
On Tuesday, October 7 — just four days after UNBC’s inaugural Kick for the Cure event — Kylie Erb sits on a couch in the UNBC Athletics office, a black coffee in hand, her focus unwavering.
“I think a lot of the time when I talk about him [Brad], I’m probably pretty monotone,” she says quietly. “But I think it’s the only way I can do it without breaking down.”
The former Timberwolves defender — who appeared in 52 career regular season and playoff games for UNBC from 2014 to 2018 — speaks with the calm of someone still learning to balance pride and loss.
Brad Erb passed away on May 18, 2023, after a brave and heartbreakingly swift battle with cancer. He was 62. He leaves behind his wife of 33 years, Val, and two daughters: Cassie and Kylie. Though time has softened some of the sharper edges of grief, not a day passes without Kylie thinking of her dad.
Raised in Summerland, B.C., in a cozy house along Okanagan Lake, the Erbs took full advantage of their nearby outdoor opportunities. Winters meant skiing on the nearby slopes and spring and summer days were spent on the water and the soccer field. By Grade 6, soccer had become Kylie’s big focus — and Brad, her biggest supporter, and chauffeur.
“He was always the first dad to offer rides,” Kylie recalls with a smile. “Whether it was a 6 a.m. practice in Penticton or running the stairs before school, he was there.”
In Grade 10, Kylie’s Penticton club team captured a Provincial Championship, and with it came more road trips — and more time in the car with Brad.
“My dad loved to tell stories. I think a lot of people miss that,” she reflects.
Those car rides helped create a superstition later on, where Kylie would always call or text my dad before a game.
When he wasn’t sharing stories, Brad was stressing the importance of self-confidence, and above all: fun.
“He wanted me to be more confident,” Kylie says. “But before every game, he’d give the biggest hug and you could just tell by the look on his face that he was proud — not just of me, but of all of us.”
When it came time for Kylie to choose a university, her parents gently suggested she look somewhere warmer. But two of her Penticton teammates — Alena Carlile and Mackenzie Ricard — had already committed to UNBC, and when the same opportunity arose for Kylie, the decision was easy. The Timberwolves offered both the competitive soccer environment she craved and an Accounting and Finance program that aligned perfectly with her academic ambitions.
Over the next five years and 52 appearances, Kylie became a cornerstone of the UNBC Women’s Soccer program — a steady presence who helped shape the culture and identity of a team that would reach the playoffs in each of her final two seasons.
The extensive Canada West travel schedule proved a bonus for the Erb family. With many games played in B.C., Brad and Val were often in the stands, cheering on their youngest daughter. And when Kylie’s sister Cassie moved north to begin the Nursing program at UNBC in 2017, the family’s trips to Prince George became even more frequent.
Their support meant everything to Kylie — and it didn’t go unnoticed by her teammates either. It was during Kylie’s five-year run at UNBC where Brad developed his own reputation as a warm, positive, unwavering supporter of the Timberwolves.
Even after both Kylie and Cassie had graduated from UNBC, Brad’s enthusiasm for Timberwolves Soccer never faded. During a visit to Prince George in the fall of 2022, Kylie was both surprised — and not at all surprised — to spot her dad encouraging and laughing with UNBC Men’s Soccer standout Michael Henman during his historic 19-goal season.
A few months later, everything changed.
During a family Christmas gathering at the Erb home in Summerland, something felt off. Both Kylie and Cassie could sense that their dad was very much not himself.
There was some fluid building up in his legs, but otherwise, the initial rounds of blood tests, physical exams, and X-rays revealed nothing of major concern — meaning the family’s long-awaited trip to Mexico for Cassie’s February wedding was still a go.
Less than a month later, though, in mid-March, a scan revealed a cancerous tumor in Brad’s lungs that had gone previously undetected. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. Because of its close proximity to his heart, surgery wasn’t an option. Radiation and immunotherapy were the only available treatments — not to cure, but to hopefully prolong his life.
Unfortunately, the radiation took its toll. The cancer began to spread rapidly, and Brad’s condition declined just as quickly. Kylie’s jovial, encouraging, larger-than-life father was becoming almost unrecognizable.
With incredible strength, and the slightest tremble in her voice, Kylie recalls, “He was on oxygen, which he hated. He didn’t like or want to be using a walker in front of people, and I think he was embarrassed.”
And yet, even in the toughest, darkest moments, Brad still found ways to show warmth, humour, and reassurance — or as much as his mind and body would allow. “He was still Dad,” Kylie says softly. “He was happy to be with us. But I’m sure, as a parent, you never want your children to see you suffer.”
On May 18th, 2023, at around 5:30 a.m., with his family standing steadfast by his side in a hospital room in Penticton, Brad Erb passed away.
Grief never truly goes away.
Time has a way of softening the hurt, but there will always be a Brad-sized hole in the hearts and minds of the Erb family.
His memorial was exactly what Brad would have wanted: 200 to 300 people gathered at the Erb home on the lake, toasting with his favourites — Corona and Budweiser — and sharing stories that sparked both laughter and tears.
To her immense credit, Kylie is thriving — even if it doesn’t always feel that way. She and Cassie both still call Prince George home, remaining deeply connected to the UNBC and Prince George communities. Val visits often to spend time with her daughters and grandchildren.
By day, Kylie puts her Accounting and Finance degree to use with Yellowhead Road and Bridge. By night, she can still be found on the soccer pitch, playing competitive rec soccer alongside many of her former Timberwolves teammates who remain her closest friends.
Those pre-game texts and calls that once went to Brad? They now go to one of Brad’s best friends, Bob. And somehow, that tiny superstition — that shared ritual — still brings a smile to Kylie’s face as she reflects on her dad’s lasting impact on her soccer and life journey.
Those deep-rooted friendships and connections in Prince George helped ensure that Brad Erb’s name would live forever — proudly displayed on the side of a UNBC Women’s cancer-themed jersey as one of 38 names put forth by current and former members of the Timberwolves program.
Those jerseys were worn with pride by the UNBC Women’s Soccer team on October 3rd, 2025, during their Kick for the Cure match against Trinity Western. Fittingly, Kylie, Cassie, and Val were all in attendance that night.
Just days earlier, the jerseys were unveiled through a video featuring seven current and former Timberwolves players, each fully kitted in the custom uniforms. Among them was Kylie Erb.
“Dad would just think that it’s really cool to have his name on one of these jerseys,” Kylie smiled. “My family really appreciates that UNBC does things like this — and it means more than I sometimes know how to put into words.”
Storytelling is clearly a gift that Brad Erb passed down to his daughter, Kylie. Her openness, strength, and ability to share her family’s journey remind us why stories like this matter — they bring heart, purpose, and humanity to everything we do.
On behalf of UNBC Athletics and the Kick for the Cure campaign, we are deeply grateful to Kylie for sharing Brad’s story and continuing his legacy of kindness and connection.
To donate to the UNBC Timberwolves Kick for the Cure campaign, you can do so HERE.
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