Canadian Soccer Association announced today that six Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency players have been called up to Canada's U-17 national team for an 11-day preparation camp ahead of this summer's FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico.
Residency defenders Adam Polakiewicz and Daniel Stanese join the midfield quartet of Bryce Alderson, Wesley Cain, Yassin Essa, and Matteo Pasquotti in being part of head coach Sean Fleming's 24-player squad for the training camp in Sunrise, Florida. The squad will assemble on Thursday and remain in Florida until Sunday, May 29.
The camp will be an important one for the players, as Fleming will look to select his final 21-player roster for Mexico 2011 from this group of 24. Canada qualified for their first U-17 World Cup since 1995 after a second-place finish at this year's CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Of particular note, Fleming's squad includes a sizable contingent of players from the academy programs at three of the country's four professional clubs. Alongside the six members of Whitecaps FC Residency, nine players from Toronto FC Academy were also selected, as were two players from Montreal Impact Academy.
On Tuesday in Mexico City, Canada were drawn in Group C of this year's U-17 World Cup with Uruguay, Rwanda, and England. This year's U-17 World Cup takes place in Mexico from Saturday, June 18, to Sunday, July 10.
