Partnership between Whitecaps FC and Alberta Soccer paves development path for young players

Soccer expanding in Alberta Vancouver Whitecaps are partnering with the Alberta Soccer Association to expand its academy program in Calgary and Edmonton.

Calgary — Major League Soccer's Vancouver Whitecaps FC is expanding its player development programs in Alberta to help more of the province's young player's advance and excel in the sport.

The Whitecaps FC announced its expanded partnership with the Alberta Soccer Association on Tuesday and will finance and operate elite-level soccer programming for youth in the province as part of the deal.

The three-year player development program in the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy System will provide programming in Calgary and Edmonton, in collaboration with Alberta Soccer, for boys and girls between 13 and 16 years old.

"We are excited and appreciative of the opportunity to continue, and expand, our player development partnership with the Alberta Soccer Association," said Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC chief executive officer & sporting director. "Alberta is a top talent region in the country, and Alberta Soccer, Alberta Soccer stakeholders, leagues and member clubs have been doing an amazing job of producing players for national team and professional opportunities. We hope that we can collaborate with all these groups, in addition to both Canadian Premier League teams in Cavalry FC and FC Edmonton to further enhance that pathway."

The program also connects players to BC Soccer's Whitecaps FC Boys MLS Academy and the Girls Elite Regional Excel (REX) Super Centre program.

“Alberta Soccer is very excited to partner with the Vancouver Whitecaps on the Whitecaps FC Boys Academy and Girls Regional Excel programs,” said Alberta Soccer president Shaun Hammond. “It is important to Alberta Soccer to continue to find ways to support our player pathway and the Whitecaps put together a proposal that will allow Alberta Soccer to re-allocate resources to grassroots development programs while knowing that a top class program is being run in our Province.”

Whitecaps FC coaches will provide players with weekly training, competition as well as access to club events.

The new expanded programs will be offered in two sessions, October to December and January to March, to allow players to train and play games with their member clubs.

More than 60 players from Alberta have completed the Whitecaps FC MLS Academy and Girls Elite Super REX programs in Vancouver since 2011.

For more information, visit the Alberta Soccer Association and Whitecaps FC BMO Academy System websites.