VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC welcomes seven new players from Alberta to the club’s MLS Academy, and one player to the Girls Elite REX program.
All six boys players from Calgary were also part of the full-time subsidized Whitecaps FC BMO Alberta Academy Centre program in partnership with the Alberta Soccer Association and Calgary Minor Soccer Association, with Leah Parsons coming from the Alberta REX program in partnership with Whitecaps FC and Canada Soccer. More than 500 players per year receive high performance training led by head coach Ewan Fisher and Alberta Academy staff, including boys and girls players from U-9 to U-14.
The new recruits from Alberta include:
<strong>First name</strong> |
<strong>Last name</strong> |
<strong>Hometown</strong> |
<strong>Former Club</strong> |
<p align="center">Will</p> |
<p align="center">Antoniuk</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary, Alberta</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary Blizzard Soccer Club / Whitecaps FC BMO Alberta Academy Centre</p> |
<p align="center">Brennen</p> |
<p align="center">Fuerst</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary, Alberta</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary Blizzard Soccer Club / Whitecaps FC BMO Alberta Academy Centre</p> |
<p align="center">Mihail</p> |
<p align="center">Gherasimencov</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary, Alberta</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary Blizzard Soccer Club / Whitecaps FC BMO Alberta Academy Centre</p> |
<p align="center">Finn</p> |
<p align="center">Linder</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary, Alberta</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary Blizzard Soccer Club / Whitecaps FC BMO Alberta Academy Centre</p> |
<p align="center">Niko</p> |
<p align="center">Myroniuk</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary, Alberta</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary Blizzard Soccer Club / Whitecaps FC BMO Alberta Academy Centre</p> |
<p align="center">Matteo Samori</p> |
<p align="center">Samori</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary, Alberta</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary Foothills / Whitecaps FC BMO Alberta Academy Centre</p> |
<p align="center">Leah</p> |
<p align="center">Parsons</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary, Alberta</p> |
<p align="center">Calgary Blizzard Soccer Club / Alberta REX program</p> |
<p align="center">Nikos</p> |
<p align="center">Tosczak</p> |
<p align="center">Edmonton, Alberta</p> |
<p align="center">Edmonton Warriors / Lugano FC (Switzerland)</p> |
Incoming boys players will hope to follow in the footsteps of fellow Albertans who made their way through the Whitecaps FC Academy before signing an MLS contract, including Sam Adekugbe (Calgary, AB) now with Vålerenga in Norway, Marco Carducci (Calgary, AB) now with Cavalry FC in the Canadian Premier League, Alphonso Davies (Edmonton, AB) now with FC Bayern Munich in Germany, and Chituru Odunze (Calgary, AB) now with Leicester City FC in England.
Parsons will look ahead towards alumni who have earned collegiate scholarships and played for Canada's women's national team, such as Julia Grosso and Jayde Riviere, with others who have made it professionally, such as Canadian national team and Paris-Saint German striker Jordyn Huitema.
With consultation from the club’s medical team and health authorities, MLS Academy players are expected to begin training on the pitch in Vancouver later this month. The Girls Elite REX program kicked off on September 9.
The Whitecaps FC Virtual Academy is also set to return on October 19, with a free session available on October 5. Early Bird deadline to register is on Friday, September 25. To find out more, go to whitecapsfc.com/virtualacademy.
For more information on the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy System, visit whitecapsfc.com/academy.
