Whitecaps FC Expanding Youth Academy

With the growth of soccer in the country, it’s not real surprise to hear that the Vancouver Whitecaps FC are expanding to southern Ontario.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC made it official and announced the launch of a new Whitecaps FC London Youth Academy Centre in partnership with Elgin Middlesex Soccer Association.

The new academy centre is based in London, Ontario which is the 11th most populated metropolitan area in Canada.

While the Whitecaps continue to grow in various areas of Canada, this is the first Whitecaps FC Academy Centre in Eastern Canada.

Whitecaps FC director of soccer development Dan Lenarduzzi told the media “We’re very excited to launch an Academy Centre in London and have EMSA share our vision for soccer development in Canada.” He continued “Together, we look forward to providing new opportunities for local players.”

EMSA governs soccer for Elgin, Middlesex, Oxford, Huron, Bruce, and Norfolk counties in South Western Ontario.

In 2014 there were 11,499 players registered for outdoor soccer, and 4,998 players registered for indoor soccer.

EMSA president John Dutot stated “Our board is very excited about the opportunities that this partnership will provide for our players, coaches, referees and administrators.”

He continued “Our goal has been to have a clear and concise pathway for development, and Whitecaps FC has provided that structure in addition to being a great fit for the present and the future.”

New teams in the program will be known as London Youth Whitecaps and the programs will include

• a Prospects Academy for boys and girls from U-11 to U-18
• Pre-Prospects Academy from U-7 to U-10

LYW players will be provided with opportunities to be scouted into Whitecaps FC full-time professional development programs in Vancouver.

As part of the London Youth Academy Centre, Whitecaps FC will place a regional head coach and support staff in London, with visits from Vancouver staff.

Whitecaps FC Academy Centres are a network of regional training hubs linked through key staff, curriculum, and standards that provide professional supplemental club training for serious, motivated players.

Planning and curriculum are overseen by Bart Choufour, director and head coach of Whitecaps FC Pre-Residency and Academy Centres.

With this addition of the London Youth Academy Centre the Whitecaps FC now have a network across 14 different cities.

Those include Kamloops, the Kootenays, Manitoba, the Northern Academy Centre, the Okanagan, Saskatchewan, Sea-to-Sky, Vancouver as well as Vancouver Island.