VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Thursday that Ottawa South United player Jaeden Mercure has been selected to join the full-time boys Residency program, set to move to the new National Soccer Development Centre (NSDC).
Last year, Whitecaps FC and Ottawa South United announced a partnership as part of an Ottawa Academy Centre.
“We’ve had several players make the transition now from Ottawa South United into our Residency program,” said Craig Dalrymple, Whitecaps FC technical director. “We look forward to welcoming Jaeden as we continue to grow our partnership.”
Mercure will enter with the U-15 Residency squad. He joins fellow Ottawa South United product Matteo de Brienne, now with the U-16 team, in the program, and Keenan Foley, now with the U-18 team. Residency graduate Vana Markarian, now going into his second year playing NCAA soccer at Columbia University, also came through Ottawa South United.
"We are so pleased that Jaeden has been selected for this opportunity, as he has been with OSU since he was nine-years-old," said Ottawa South United club president Bill Michalopulos. “Our relationship with Whitecaps FC will keep getting stronger and we can continue to provide opportunities for the boys and soon for the girls in OSU.”
“Jaeden and his family have been fully invested into our development program, and his constant desire to improve his technique and game intelligence is what has earned him this opportunity to join Vancouver," commented OSU technical director Paul Harris. “Jaeden is the next in a string of players that we have sent to Vancouver and we at OSU believe that there will be other players across the OSU age groups that can follow in their footsteps."
The U-14 boys team will kick off their season this weekend when they travel to Mexico to take part in the U-13 CONCACAF Champions League for a second straight year. The rest of the teams will begin training in mid-August, while the Development Academy season starts in September for the U-16 and U-18 squads.
| U-15 | |||
| Name | Birth Year | Last Club | Hometown |
Jaeden Mercure | 2003 | Ottawa South United | Ottawa, ON |
