Vancouver Whitecaps FC regional head coach David Broadhurst will be in Nelson from August 10 to 18 to lead the evaluations for the Whitecaps FC Kootenay Prospects Academy. Boys and girls ages U-10 to U-18 will have the opportunity to be evaluated for selection and invitation to the Kootenay Prospects program, which will include up to four boys and four girls training groups with 16 to 20 players per training group.
“We really enjoyed our inaugural year in the Kootenays and learned more about how the program can have the greatest impact and benefit for local players,” said Whitecaps FC director of soccer development Dan Lenarduzzi. “Based on that we have made some adjustments this year that will provide a regular Whitecaps FC presence in the Kootenays, more regular contact with the players, and increased communication.”
The program, including all sessions, will be run by Whitecaps FC Okanagan regional head coach David Broadhurst and will include a 10-month program with three phases, running September through June, with weekly training sessions. There will also be one travel weekend per phase, which last year included an MLS weekend in Vancouver featuring an on-field training session and a Whitecaps FC MLS match.
“The club’s desire is to have an overall regional program strategy that will allow the Prospects Academy to be accessible to the best players in the Kootenay region,” said Broadhurst. “In this coming 2013-14 cycle, we will operate a West program which will primarily be open to players from Nelson and Kootenay South. The objective will be to work towards a similar East program for the fall of 2014-15. This will then provide the ability to connect the two programs for select training and events.”
Whitecaps FC currently provide technical services to the Nelson Youth Soccer Association and hope to expand these services to other areas of the Kootenays.
To be selected for the Whitecaps FC Prospects Academy, all players must register for the evaluation process. Evaluation sessions will be held at Lakeside Park in Nelson during the weekends of August 10 and 11 and again on August 17 to 18.
Players interested in registration for the evaluation can visit whitecapsfc.com/academy and select Kootenay Academy or contact David Broadhurst at dbroadhurst@whitecapsfc.com or by phone at 250.550.5489.
