CSA & Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC, in conjunction with the Canadian Soccer Association, announce that Kevin Cobby, Coulton Jackson, and Russell Teibert have all been called up to Canada's U-17 men's national team.
The trio - who are all members of the Whitecaps Residency program - will travel with the 20-player squad to San Jose, Costa Rica, for a nine-day camp that runs from March 28 to April 5. During their time in Central America, Sean Fleming's side will play an exhibition match versus Costa Rica's U-18 side on March 31 before meeting the Costa Rican U-17 squad in two international friendlies on April 2 and 4. Canada are looking to fine tune their preparations before next month's CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Tijuana, Mexico.
Serving as the qualifying tournament for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Nigeria 2009 later this year, Canada face Honduras (April 21), USA (April 23), and Cuba (April 25) in Group A and need to finish in the top two in order to make Nigeria 2009. Canada last appeared in a U-17 World Cup back in 1995 in Ecuador.
Cobby, Jackson, and Teibert all return to the squad after taking part in two previous U-17 national team camps in recent months. The first camp took place in Mexico in November and December 2008 before the squad reconvened this past February in Florida and Guatemala. The February camp saw Fleming's side play three international friendly matches versus their U-17 counterparts from the United States and Guatemala.
Cobby, who turns 17 on Tuesday, joined the Whitecaps Residency program on September 10, 2008, after spells with Toronto FC Academy's U-16 side and the Ontario provincial team program. Last December, the native of Toronto, Ontario, played in all five matches of the Residency team's successful 12-day tour of Japan.
Fellow midfielder Teibert, 16-years-old, has also been with Whitecaps Residency since September 10, 2008. Like Cobby, the native of Niagara Falls, Ontario, is a former member of Toronto FC Academy's U-16 side and the Ontario provincial team program. With Canada U-17's, the midfielder scored in the 5-2 friendly win over USA U-17's in St. Petersburg, Florida, on February 11.
Jackson, 17-years-old, signed on with Whitecaps Residency on February 10 after also appearing in the team's five friendly matches in Japan last December. The native of Surrey, BC - who can play as a striker or as an attacking midfielder - initially joined the Whitecaps Delta Prospects Academy last September before moving up to the full-time Residency program. With Canada U-17's, Jackson also found the scoresheet in the 5-2 win over USA U-17's.
Also joining Fleming's squad for the Costa Rica camp is goalkeeper Richard Causton. The native of Coquitlam, BC, has been training with the Residency program since the beginning of February, having been a part of the Canadian Soccer Association's National Training Centre (British Columbia region) program during the 2007-08 year. Last summer, Causton represented British Columbia at the Canadian U-16 All-Star Championship in Brossard, Quebec.
Also in the squad is former Whitecaps Prospects centre back Derrick Bassi. The native of Delta, BC, is currently with the academy squad at English Premier League club Middlesbrough FC. The former North Delta Selects defender was a member of the BC provincial team program and the CSA's National Training Centre (BC region) program.
Whitecaps 2009 season tickets are now on sale. Season tickets include all men’s and women's team regular season and playoff home matches at Swangard Stadium, Nutrilite Canadian Championship home matches against Toronto FC and Montreal Impact, as well as priority listing for Vancouver MLS 2011 in BC Place. For more information on the 2009 season ticket packages, click here or call 604.669.WAVE (9283).
