Ben McKendry

PROFILE
A central midfielder with a tireless work ethic who has represented Canada at the youth international level, Ben McKendry returned to Whitecaps FC on January 26, 2015 after graduating through the club’s Residency program and excelling during his collegiate career at the University of New Mexico. McKendry originally joined Whitecaps FC Residency on September 7, 2010, after being a member of the club’s Prospects program. In 2015, he was selected by the technical staff as the Whitecaps FC 2 Player of the Year after playing a lead role in the team’s inaugural season in the USL. In July 2017, he was loaned out to NASL side FC Edmonton through December 31, 2017 with an option to recall. On November 27, 2017, Whitecaps FC announced that the club will not exercise the option on his contract.

• READ: First-team debut the latest chapter in Ben McKendry's long journey with boyhood club

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
2017: McKendry made his MLS debut in March, playing the full 90 minutes in the Week 2 road match at San Jose Earthquakes, before being loaned out to FC Edmonton in July.

CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
2017: McKendry started both legs of the CC semifinal series versus Toronto FC. 2016: McKendry started in both of his two CC appearances, making his first team debut in the first leg of the semifinal against Ottawa Fury FC.

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
2016-17: McKendry made two Champions League appearances, making one start against Central FC in Trinidad and Tobago on August 2. His season was cut short when he suffered an injury in his second appearance, the home match versus Central FC on September 28.

FRIENDLIES
2016: McKendry was in the starting lineup for the international friendly against Crystal Palace FC.

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE
2017: McKendry recorded two goals and one assist in his 14 starts and appearances, while leading the team in shots and chances created before being loaned out to FC Edmonton in July. 2016: McKendry started 19 of his 20 regular season appearances, scoring two goals, before his season ended with a right knee sprain sufferend in Champions League action on September 28. He scored a beauty in the Week 6 2-1 win at Swope Park Rangers, earning him USL Player of the Week. Upon his return from national team duties with the Canadian U-23 side, McKendry scored his second goal of the season in the Week 10 2-2 draw against Real Monarchs SLC. 2015: McKendry was selected by the technical staff as the Whitecaps FC 2 Player of the Year for his performance in the club's inaugural USL season. He was leading Whitecaps FC 2 in appearances (21), starts (20) and minutes played (1625) before being sidelined with injury on July 24. McKendry scored two goals, including the game-winner versus Real Monarchs SLC on May 24.

What a rocket by Vancouver boy @ben_mckendry! pic.twitter.com/HJqoJSry2k

— Whitecaps FC 2 (@wfc2) April 28, 2016

COLLEGE
2014: As a junior, McKendry was named First Team All-Conference USA and a Second Team All-American by College Sports Madness. The Templeton Secondary graduate was also named MVP of the TLC Plumbing and Utility Invitational tournament. In total, McKendry started 16 of his 17 appearances, scoring two goals and recording two assists in 1,358 minutes in the midfield. 2013: In his sophomore season, McKendry was named First Team All-Conference USA and Third Team NSCAA All-Region. The midfielder started all 22 matches for the Lobos, recording five goals and one assist. The Lobos finished as Conference USA regular season champions in their inaugural season in the conference and made it to the NCAA College Cup Final Four. 2012: During his freshman season, McKendry was named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Newcomer of the Year, to both the Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer Second Team National All-Freshmen Team, and to the MPSF All-Tournament Team. In total, the Canadian started 14 of his 22 appearances, scoring seven goals, including four game-winning goals, while also adding two assists. The Lobos finished as MSPF regular season champions and made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER RESERVE LEAGUE
2012: McKendry made his MLS Reserve League debut as a second-half substitute for Whitecaps FC reserves, as they drew 1-1 at home to Seattle Sounders FC reserves in the season opener on March 26.

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUES PREMIER DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE
2012: The local midfielder made seven appearances for Whitecaps FC U-23 in his second PDL season. 2011: McKendry made 13 appearances during his first PDL season with Whitecaps FC Residency, as they finished third in the Northwest Division of the PDL’s Western Conference.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC RESIDENCY
2011-12: McKendry started 26 of his 31 appearances and scored six goals for Whitecaps FC U-18 Residency. In the club’s inaugural season in the United States Soccer Development Academy (USSDA), the U-18 ‘Caps beat out over 70 other clubs to make it to the USSDA championship final before falling 3-2 to FC Dallas U-18. McKendry was named to the USSDA Playoffs Best XI by Top Drawer Soccer. 2010-11: In November 2010, McKendry appeared in all six matches of the Residency team’s tour of Mexico. This included starts versus both the U-18 and the U-19/U-20 sides of Mexican Primera Division club Estudiantes Tecos. In April 2011, the midfielder appeared in all three Bracket C matches in the U-19 Super Group at Dallas Cup XXXII. This included the 3-2 win over Brazil’s Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, the 2-0 defeat to Mexico's Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (Tigres UANL), and the 2-0 defeat to Real Salt Lake U-17/U-18 Academy. McKendry also started the 2-1 friendly win over Costa Rica's Liga Deportiva Alajuelense at Dallas Cup XXXII on April 21, 2011. 2009-10: McKendry joined the Residency squad for their successful two-week trip to Madrid, Spain, in November 2009. The talented midfielder played in all five matches during the trip, which included a 2-2 draw versus the U-18 side of Club Atlético de Madrid on November 4 and a 2-0 victory over the U-18 side from Spanish and European giants Real Madrid Club de Fútbol on November 11.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC PROSPECTS
2009-10: McKendry had an impressive season with the U-18 Prospects squad. The midfielder helped Bart Choufour's side win the 2009-10 Men's Division One title in the Fraser Valley Soccer League and the 2010 Knight Soccer League Division One title, with the U-18 Prospects winning all their matches in the summer-run league. The midfielder also won the 2010 Ronale Naidu Memorial Indoor Soccer Tournament with the U-18 Prospects. 2007-08: As a member of the U-16 Prospects side, McKendry helped the young ’Caps reach the semifinals of the Las Vegas College Showcase in March 2008.

INTERNATIONAL
Senior: McKendry earned his first senior camp invite in January 2017, then made his debut on the men's national team in their 4-2 friendly win over Bermuda. U-23: McKendry was called up to the Canadian U-23 training camp and scored in the 3-0 friendly win over Grenada in May 2016. U-20: A dual Canadian and New Zealand citizen, McKendry attended a training camp with New Zealand's U-20 national team before opting to represent his birth country of Canada. In December 2011, McKendry attended a training camp with Canada’s U-20 national team in Sunrise, Florida, after being selected by head coach Nick Dasovic. U-18: McKendry’s first call-up to the Canadian national team program was with the country’s U-18 squad for a January 2011 camp in San Jose, Costa Rica.   

YOUTH/AMATEUR
McKendry started his soccer career as a four-year-old with Grandview Legion Football Club in Vancouver, BC. He then moved with his family to Christchurch, New Zealand, as a five-year-old and continued his soccer development at Burnside Association Football Club, which is the largest soccer club on New Zealand's South Island. Following his spell in New Zealand, the midfielder returned to East Vancouver's Grandview Legion and remained there until 2003 when he joined East Vancouver's Italian Canadian Sports Federation (ICSF). It was at ICSF where McKendry went on to win the Vancouver Cup's Most Valuable Player Award in 2004. The following season, McKendry joined Vancouver's Marpole Soccer Club and was an instrumental player for his team, as he went on to win the Vancouver Cup's Most Valuable Player Award for the second year in a row, in addition to winning the Pioneer Cup's Most Valuable Player Award. The following three seasons saw the midfielder play for Vancouver Selects (now Vancouver FC), where he played in conjunction with Whitecaps FC Prospects until 2009. He has also featured for the British Columbia provincial team program at the U-14 and U-16 levels, and was a member of the Canadian Soccer Association's National Training Centre (British Columbia region) program from 2007 to 2009. McKendry also travelled internationally with the Total Soccer Systems (TSS) Academy, who are based in Richmond, BC. With TSS Academy, the midfielder played in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands in 2005.

PERSONAL
Born and raised in Vancouver, BC, McKendry has strong connections to New Zealand, with the family carrying dual Canadian and New Zealand citizenship. McKendry was a student for one year at Ilam School in Christchurch, New Zealand, before returning back to Vancouver, BC, with his family, where he continued his education at Garibaldi Annex and Lord Nelson Elementary School in his hometown. McKendry then attended Vancouver's Templeton Secondary School from 2006 to 2010. His parents are Sue and Ian McKendry, while he has a brother named Geoff. 

INTERESTING FACTS 
When not concentrating on his soccer career, McKendry enjoys hockey and is a big fan of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks. He is also a fan of English Premier League clubs Chelsea FC and Blackburn Rovers FC. The midfielder's other interests include watching movies, playing video games, and playing golf.