VANCOUVER, BC – Canadian midfielder/striker Brett Levis joined Vancouver Whitecaps FC on trial Monday as the ‘Caps returned to training in advance of an important weekend encounter with Los Angeles Galaxy.
Levis, 20, comes to Vancouver on the heels of a successful season with Victoria Highlanders FC of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League.
The Saskatoon, Sask. native scored 12 goals and added six assists in 16 appearances with the PDL Western Conference champions this past season. He also had nine goals and six assists with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, which was second best in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Canada West.
For his efforts, the 5-foot-8, 160 lbs. forward was recognized as a Canada West first-team all-star and CIS second-team all-Canadian.
Whitecaps FC head coach Martin Rennie said Levis “did well” on Monday, but they will reserve judgment until he has a little more time to settle in.
Levis’ trial is slated to end Aug. 27, meaning he will be available for selection Aug. 26 in the MLS Reserve League match against Seattle Sounders.
Monday’s training session also featured the return of former ‘Caps midfielder Terry Dunfield. The 31-year-old Vancouver native has been rehabilitating a knee injury at Fortius Sport & Health in Burnaby and will join the ‘Caps in training daily for the next few weeks.
From the club’s perspective, it’s just about helping Dunfield out as he looks to return to fitness, according to Rennie.
“It’s great of the organization to give me the opportunity to train and I enjoyed every minute of it,” Dunfield told reporters at UBC.
Most of Vancouver’s starters from Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Colorado Rapids used Monday to recover, but midfielders Gershon Koffie and Daigo Kobayashi as well as centre back Carlyle Mitchell participated in parts of the session.
“It was a good one,” Rennie told reporters. “Obviously some of the guys were just recovering from the game, but we played a bit of possession and small-sided games. There was good intensity there.”
Though he didn’t take part in the session, midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker also made an appearance at UBC’s Dhillon Field on Monday, as the London, England native did a 15-minute interview with BBC World’s popular soccer show Football Focus. The piece will air in three weeks.
