VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that the club’s Saskatchewan Academy Centre, based in Saskatoon, has expanded to include a Regina Academy. The Regina program will link with the existing Saskatoon program to create a player development network within the Saskatchewan Academy Centre, leading into Whitecaps FC development programs in Vancouver.
“We’re really excited to expand our footprint and network in Saskatchewan as part of a partnership with FC Regina,” said Whitecaps FC director of soccer development Dan Lenarduzzi. “FC Regina is a very progressive club who recently formed as part of an amalgamation of several Regina clubs. We look forward to be able to leverage our resources together to bring additional opportunities to the Regina market, and in particular to FC Regina players.”
FC Regina is the largest youth club in Saskatchewan and has approximately 1,300 members. It provides soccer developmental programming for boys and girls from ages four to 18. For more information on FC Regina, please visit reginasoccer.com.
Last month, FC Regina player Rodrigo Santamaria, who was scouted into the Saskatchewan Academy Centre, joined Whitecaps FC Pre-Residency for a Canada Soccer national identification tournament against the best U-15 players in the country. In March of this year, FC Regina players Cruz Batalha, Dillon Dufour, Caleb Gbinigie, Rohin Kapila, and Luke Washenfelder all traveled to Vancouver as part of the 2015 adidas Cup presented by Sport Chek, having the opportunity to play in front of Whitecaps FC staff and coaches.
“We are very excited to partner with Vancouver Whitecaps FC,” said Regina Soccer Association President Howard Loseth. “This partnership is another step forward for our club, FC Regina, which is a result of a one club model in Regina that came into effect on August 6, 2014. We’ve brought together the best resources and most experienced soccer leaders throughout the city, providing consistency of programming and enhancing development for all players. Adding Whitecaps FC programs will not only provide additional opportunities for youth in our club, but also engage all youth across the city with the opportunities this partnership will bring.”
Whitecaps FC Academy Centres are a network of regional training hubs linked through key staff, curriculum, and standards that provide professional supplemental club training for serious, motivated players. Planning and curriculum is overseen by Bart Choufour, director and head coach of Whitecaps FC Pre-Residency and Academy Centres. In addition to the Saskatchewan Academy Centre, Whitecaps FC now have a network of nine academy centre locations, including the new Sea-to-Sky Academy Centre, Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Okanagan, the Kootenays, Kamloops, the Northern Academy Centre, and most recently a centre in Manitoba in partnership with the Manitoba Soccer Association.
The Regina Academy will be led by Saskatchewan Academy Centre head coach Bryce Chapman, who also runs the Saskatoon Academy and is head coach of the University of Saskatchewan’s men’s and women’s programs.
Chapman will oversee the staff and also work closely with FC Regina technical directors Kevin Holness and Markus Reinkins. Holness is a former Whitecaps FC player, having spent two seasons in 2000 and 2001 in Vancouver. Reinkens is a former BC Soccer High Performance staff member, where he spent 12 years and developed a strong working relationship with Whitecaps FC.
The Regina Prospects Academy will be by evaluation and invitation only. It will include boys and girls from U-9 to U-18 and will run in three phases. The fall phase will run from September to December, the winter phase from January to March, and the spring phase from April to June. The fall phase will kick off this September with more details coming soon. More information on the Prospects Academy can be found HERE.
Whitecaps FC will hold Prospects Camps as evaluations for the Academy programs this fall. These camps are for motivated and advanced players, from U-10 to U-16. The inaugural camp for Regina will be from July 6 to 8 at Liebel Field. The Saskatoon camp will run from July 3 to 5 at the University of Saskatchewan. More information on Prospects Camps can be found HERE.
For more information on Whitecaps FC Academy Centre programs in Regina visit whitecapsfc.com/regina.
