VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today the club’s 2014-15 U-18 Residency roster for their upcoming United States Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) season.
“The coaching staff is very excited,” said Whitecaps FC U-18 head coach Niall Thompson. “The talent that is moving up into the U-18 squad is an excellent group that will be a great addition to the returning players we have from last season. It will take time to gel, but the players know the playing philosophy. We look forward to working with these young men to progress them through the next stages of their playing careers.”
Nine players return from last season’s Whitecaps U-18 Residency squad, including: goalkeepers William Diaz and MLS first-teamer Marco Carducci, defenders Nike Azuma and Vaggeli Boucas, midfielders Kyle Jones and Ali Musse, and striker Jordan Haynes. Also of note is the return of the team’s two leading scorers in USSDA play last season, midfielders Marco Bustos and Kianz Froese who scored 19 and 12 goals respectively.
An additional nine players are moving up from last season’s U-16 Residency side: defenders Manraj Bains, Andre Baires, Josh Cuthbert, Eric de Graaf, and Jeevin Kang; midfielders Vana Markarian, Francesco Saporito, and Hayden Simmonds-O’Grady; and striker Dario Zanatta.
Two new faces are joining the Residency program for the upcoming USSDA campaign, as Surrey, BC native William Grayson comes on board from BC Soccer Premier League club Surrey United SC, and Calgary, Alberta native Drake Rendle joins after playing for Calgary South West United.
Ten players on this year's roster came through the BC Soccer Provincial Development Program, including Azuma, Bains, Boucas, Cuthbert, de Graaf, Diaz, Grayson, Jones, Kang, and Zanatta.
Entering their fourth season, Whitecaps FC U-18 Residency are set to open their 2014-15 USSDA season at home against Seattle Sounders FC U-18 on Saturday, September 13. The following day, the U-18s host San Juan Soccer Club U-18 on Sunday September 14 in the first of two meetings this season.
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 and maximize their potential. Among the developmental objectives for U-18 players are call-ups to train with the first team, as well as to Canadian youth nationals teams and the senior men’s national team, and ultimately to graduate into a professional playing career.
<strong>Status</strong> |
<strong>First Name</strong> |
<strong>Last Name</strong> |
<strong>Position</strong> |
<strong>Hometown</strong> |
<strong>Previous Club</strong> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Nike</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Azuma</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">D</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">North Vancouver, BC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Mountain United FC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Manraj</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Bains</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">D</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Surrey, BC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Surrey United SC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Andre</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Baires</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">D</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Winnipeg, MB</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Winnipeg Phoenix FC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Vaggeli</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Boucas</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">D</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Langley, BC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Surrey United SC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Marco</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Bustos</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">M/F</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Winnipeg, MB</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">FC Northwest</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Marco</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Carducci</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">GK</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Calgary, AB</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Calgary Villains FC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Joshua</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Cuthbert</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">D</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Edmonton, AB</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Extreme FC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Eric</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">De Graaf</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">M</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Surrey, BC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter"> Surrey United FC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">William</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Diaz</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">GK</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Port Moody, BC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Coquitlam Metro Ford SC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Kianz</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Froese</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">M</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Brunkild, MB</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">WSA</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">New Invite</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">William</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Grayson</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">F</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Surrey, BC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Surrey United SC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Jordan</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Haynes</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">F</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Peterborough, ON</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Toronto FC Academy</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Kyle</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Jones</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">M</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Port Moody, BC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Coquitlam Metro-Ford SC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Jeevin</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Kang</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">D</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Surrey, BC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Surrey United SC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Vana</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Markarian</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">M</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Ottawa, ON</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Ottawa South United</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Ali</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Musse</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">M</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Winnipeg, MB</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">WSA</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">New Invite</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Drake</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Rendle</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">M</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Calgary, AB</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Calgary Foothills SC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Francesco</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Saporito</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">M</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Edmonton, AB</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Edmonton Internazionale</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Hayden</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Simmonds-O’Grady</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">M</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Ottawa, ON</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Ottawa Fury</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Returning</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Dario</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Zanatta</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">M/F</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Kelowna, BC</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Vancouver Island Wave</p> |
