The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) announced today that Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Bryce Alderson has been named Canadian U-17 Male Player of the Year for the 2011 soccer season.
This is the second straight year that Alderson has won the award after also being honoured in 2010. Voting was shared by Canadian national team coaches (50%) and Canadian coaches who have taken the Canadian Soccer Association's national course at the B and A levels (50%).
Alderson was a member of Canada’s U-17 national team the past two seasons. In February, he helped Canada qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time in 16 years after the team finished second at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship. The team then received praise for its attacking play at the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico, losing to eventual runners-up Uruguay in the opening match before drawing both England and Rwanda in the group phase.
Over the last two years, the Kitchener, Ontario, midfielder has benefited from more than 90 days with Canada’s youth national teams, including a December call-up to the Canadian U-20 team that will work towards the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey.
At the club level, Alderson continues to improve with Whitecaps FC. A graduate of the club's Residency program, Alderson was signed to the club’s Major League Soccer roster on November 17.
This is the fourth consecutive season that a Whitecaps FC player has been named Canadian U-17 Male Player of the Year, with Russell Teibert winning the award in 2008 and 2009.
On Tuesday, the CSA will announce the 2011 Canadian U-20 Players of the Year – with Teibert nominated for U-20 Male Player of the Year.
CANADIAN U-17 PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
2011 – Bryce Alderson
2010 – Bryce Alderson
2009 – Russell Teibert
2008 – Russell Teibert
2007 – Olivier Lacoste-Lebuis
