VANCOUVER, BC
– Russell Teibert is on the verge of playing in his 200th competitive match for Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
He just doesn’t know when.
The long-time ‘Caps midfielder – a product of the
Whitecaps FC BMO Academy System
– was set to hit the milestone against Colorado Rapids on Saturday.
However with
Major League Soccer suspending match play for 30 days due to concerns surrounding COVID-19
, he will need to wait a little bit longer.
“It's been a roller coaster with a lot of ups and downs,” reflected Teibert on his career with Whitecaps FC. “I remember thinking if I was ever going to play 20 games, and now 200 games, so it’s special for me.”
Teibert has become a consistent face for ‘Caps fans with his work ethic and dedication, something that has been regularly mentioned among coaches and teammates.
“Rusty in training does everything, he’s always committed,” noted head coach Marc Dos Santos. “He takes care of his body, he does every little thing right, he's a team player.”
The ‘Caps are the only professional club that Teibert has ever known.
Starting out with the
Whitecaps FC Academy
(formerly Residency program) in 2008, Teibert has made Vancouver his home for more than a decade. He was on the pitch from the first minute the team played an MLS match, a 4-2 victory over Toronto FC on March 19, 2011.
This year, he decided
to give back to the community with his own Future First program for indigenous youth
.
“The club has always had my back, they’ve had my back since I was 15 years old. I'm 27 [now]. I've always felt that support from them.”
While Teibert will be patiently waiting for his next appearance, he does so coming off of a gritty effort in his last outing,
a 1-0 road victory at LA Galaxy
.
“He understands what it takes to help the team win,” summed up Dos Santos.
For the latest updates on Whitecaps FC’s return to MLS action, stay tuned to
whitecapsfc.com
.
