Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency announce that they have added striker Coulton Jackson and midfielder Axel Levry to their full-time program.
Jackson, 17-years-old, formally joins Whitecaps Residency after making significant progress in the Whitecaps Prospects program. The native of Surrey, BC, who can play as a striker or as an attacking midfielder, first joined the Whitecaps Delta Prospects Academy in early September 2008 before appearing on the Residency team's successful 12-day tour of Japan last December. He appeared in all five of the tour's matches as a substitute and scored in the 4-2 victory over Kyoto Sanga U-19's on December 10. The forward has also appeared for the Delta WFC side that currently plays in the Men's Premier Division of the Vancouver Metro Soccer League.
Last November, the 6-foot, 155-pound attacker received his first call-up to Canada's U-17 national team for a training camp in Mexico. He made three starts against Mexican youth sides during the trip, with the youngster scoring twice in a 5-1 victory over Querétaro FC Youth on November 30. Prior to his international call-up, Jackson led Surrey United Selects 92 to a Canadian U-16 club championship title, as he scored in a 2-1 final victory over Edmonton's KC Trojans in Sydney, Nova Scotia, last October.
Levry, 18, joins the Residency program after playing NCAA Division I soccer at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, this past autumn. Born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, the native of Fort Washington, Maryland, had three goals and two assists as a freshman, with the Patriots claiming the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) conference title last November. For his efforts, the 5-foot-10, 155-pound youngster was named to the CAA All-Rookie Team. Last summer, Levry recorded a goal and an assist in eight United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) appearances for Central Florida Kraze.
As a member of the United States U-17 national team, Levry earned 20 international caps between 2005 and 2007. In 2006, the midfielder was part of the US U-17 Residency program in Bradenton, Florida, while in 2005-06, he was a member of the US Youth Soccer Region I Olympic Development Program. The talented youngster also appeared for the U-14, U-15, and U-17 USL Super Y-League teams of Major League Soccer club D.C. United. His individual accolades include two National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) / adidas Boys Youth All-America Team honours and a 2007 PARADE magazine All-America honour.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency is based out of the Whitecaps Training Centre at Simon Fraser University (SFU), with the majority of the players attending Burnaby Central Secondary School.
The elite youth program – for players from U-17 to U-19 – provides a development gateway through to professional opportunities with the Whitecaps men’s team and European clubs. The program uses the European club model of identification, development, and placement.
Whitecaps Residency and the Whitecaps youth prospects programs are committed to cooperation and communication with the provincial and Canadian national team programs. Each player's professional commitments, education, club, and national or provincial team responsibilities are carefully considered and coordinated for optimal periodization.
