VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Monday the hiring of Jason Thompson as assistant coach alongside David Broadhurst at the Whitecaps FC Okanagan Academy Centre.
The addition provides a further tie to strengthen the relationship between Whitecaps FC and Thompson Okanagan Football Club (TOFC). Thompson is the current TOFC technical director and has also been assisting Broadhurst on a part-time basis over the past three years with Whitecaps FC Academy Centre programs. As part of the Whitecaps FC and TOFC relationship, Broadhurst has been acting as TOFC technical advisor to Thompson.
“We wanted to further strengthen the relationship between David and Jason, and in turn further synergize the relationship between Whitecaps FC and TOFC by officially bringing Jason on board as a full-time assistant coach with our Okanagan Academy Centre,” said Whitecaps FC director of soccer development Dan Lenarduzzi. “Jason will continue in his role as TOFC technical director along with advisory support from David. We feel this provides a real streamlined approached for the top players in the Okanagan.”
“I’m really pleased to be joining Whitecaps FC and to work more closely with David,” added Thompson. “I feel this will really enhance my position as TOFC technical director and provide additional benefits to the players and staff of TOFC.”
Thompson was named TOFC technical director in February of 2015, and previously acted as interim technical director in 2014 and as a staff coach with the club since 2010. As a player, Thompson represented Canada with the U-20 national team, including playing in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship tournament. Thompson also took part in the National Training Centre and was on BC Soccer provincial teams from U-15 to U-18.
Thompson Okanagan Football Club is the only interior regional representative in the eight-team EA SPORTS BC Soccer Premier League (BCSPL), the highest level of youth soccer within the province. It is supported by both BC Soccer and Vancouver Whitecaps FC as a high performance pathway for aspiring players.
The Okanagan Academy Centre is part of a network of regional Whitecaps FC training hubs linked through key staff, curriculum, and standards that provide professional supplemental training for serious, motivated players. Other current Whitecaps FC Academy Centres are located in Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Kamloops, the Kootenays, Prince George, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and London, Ontario
For more information on TOFC visit tofc.ca, and for more information on the Whitecaps FC Okanagan Academy Centre visit whitecapsfc.com/academy or contact David Broadhurst at dbroadhurst@whitecapsfc.com or 250.550.5489.
