VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today the club’s U-16 Residency roster for their upcoming 2015-16 United States Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) season.
“After a good break, there is plenty of excitement leading into the new season,” said Whitecaps FC U-16 head coach Adam Day. “We have a very experienced core group of players returning to lead the squad, and we have developed and recruited well once more with quality players coming in from all over the country.”
10 players return from last season’s Whitecaps FC U-16 Residency squad, including: defenders Christopher Guerreiro, Brendan Skinner, and Terrell Smith, midfielders Nicolas Apostol, Michael Baldisimo, Gabriel Escobar, Jonas Hakkinen, Georges Mukumbilwa, and Noah Verhoeven, and striker Alan Camacho.
Six players are moving up from Whitecaps FC Pre-Residency: goalkeepers Evan Ince and Trevor Schneider, defender Travis Selje, midfielders Alessandro Hojabrpour and Tudor Mihaila, and striker Devin O’Hea.
Added to the group are six new players from across the country. Goalkeeper Joshua Zadeiks (West Vancouver, BC) joins from North Vancouver FC, while defender Joel Harrison (Langley, BC) comes by way of Surrey United in the EA SPORTS BC Soccer Premier League.
Two players come on board from Alberta. Defender Andres Charles-Barrera (Calgary, AB) comes by way of Calgary Southwest United, while striker Alphonso Davies (Edmonton, AB) joins from Edmonton Strikers.
The final two players on the roster are from Ottawa. Midfielder Benson Fazili previously played at Gloucester Soccer Club, while striker Theo Bair was at West Ottawa Soccer Club.
This year's roster features five players who are products of the BC Soccer Provincial Development Program, including: Camacho, Harrison, Mihaila, O'Hea, and Skinner.
Entering their fifth season in the USSDA, Whitecaps FC U-16 Residency are set to open their 2015-16 campaign on Sunday, September 13 at home to newcomers Sacramento Republic FC U-18.
As part of the Whitecaps FC Residency program, players will be given evolving developmental objectives and will be challenged daily across all four corners of player development (technical, tactical, mental, and physical). Each player will be provided the necessary support and guidance from the club to nurture their talent, maximize their potential, and ultimately to graduate into a professional playing career. For more information on the Whitecaps FC Residency program, visit whitecapsfc.com/residency.
<strong>STATUS</strong> |
<strong>FIRST NAME</strong> |
<strong>LAST NAME</strong> |
<strong>POSITION</strong> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Nicolas</p> |
<p>Apostol</p> |
<p align="center">MF</p> |
<p>New</p> |
<p>Thelonius (Theo)</p> |
<p>Bair</p> |
<p align="center">FOR</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Michael</p> |
<p>Baldisimo</p> |
<p align="center">MF</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Alan</p> |
<p>Camacho</p> |
<p align="center">FOR</p> |
<p>New</p> |
<p>Andres</p> |
<p>Charles-Barrera</p> |
<p align="center">DEF/MF</p> |
<p>New</p> |
<p>Alphonso</p> |
<p>Davies</p> |
<p align="center">FOR</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Gabriel</p> |
<p>Escobar</p> |
<p align="center">FOR/MF</p> |
<p>New</p> |
<p>Benson</p> |
<p>Fazili</p> |
<p align="center">MF</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Christopher</p> |
<p>Guerreiro</p> |
<p align="center">DEF</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Jonas</p> |
<p>Hakkinen</p> |
<p align="center">CMF</p> |
<p>New</p> |
<p>Joel</p> |
<p>Harrison</p> |
<p align="center">DEF/MF</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Alessandro</p> |
<p>Hojabrpour</p> |
<p align="center">MF</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Evan</p> |
<p>Ince</p> |
<p align="center">GK</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Tudor</p> |
<p>Mihaila</p> |
<p align="center">MF</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Georges</p> |
<p>Mukumbilwa</p> |
<p align="center">CMF</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Devin</p> |
<p>O'Hea</p> |
<p align="center">DEF</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Trevor</p> |
<p>Schneider</p> |
<p align="center">GK</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Travis</p> |
<p>Selje</p> |
<p align="center">DEF</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Brendan</p> |
<p>Skinner</p> |
<p align="center">DEF</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Terrell</p> |
<p>Smith</p> |
<p align="center">DEF</p> |
<p>Returning</p> |
<p>Noah</p> |
<p>Verhoeven</p> |
<p align="center">MF</p> |
<p>New</p> |
<p>Joshua</p> |
<p>Zadeiks</p> |
<p align="center">GK</p> |
