The Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s Northern Academy Centre has been expanded to include a Cariboo Prospects Academy that will act as a satellite program to the main Academy Centre in Prince George.
The Cariboo Prospects Academy is being launched in partnership with the Williams Lake Youth Soccer Association (WLYSA), the Quesnel Youth Soccer Assocation (QYSA) and the 100 Mile House and District Soccer Association (OMHSA).
The Prince George Prospects Academy runs in partnership with the Prince George Youth Soccer Association (PGYSA).
“After establishing the Prince George Prospects program more than a year ago, the goal was to eventually link in other key Northern satellite areas and associations,” said Whitecaps FC director of soccer development Dan Lenarduzzi.
“The next natural step was to move into the Cariboo region and set up this satellite program. We greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with WLYSA, QYSA and OHMSA to further grow the game for local players in Northern B.C.”
Training sessions at the Cariboo Prospects Academy will be delivered by Whitecaps FC Northern Academy associate head coaches Ross Holtom and Sonny Pawar.
All selected players follow the official Whitecaps FC training curriculum.
Selected Cariboo Academy players will have an opportunity to train with the Prince George Prospects and the Vancouver Academy programs. The Cariboo Prospects Academy will also receive a visit from Whitecaps FC Vancouver-based coaching staff.
Participation in the Cariboo Prospects Academy is by invite only.
All players must go through an evaluation process to be selected.
The inaugural evaluations took place Sunday, Jan. 4, at the QYSA Indoor Facility.
The program will be for motivated and advanced boys and girls from under-10 to under-18 and will run over a 10-month period in three phases: winter, spring and fall.
The winter phase will launch the program with 10 sessions from Jan. 10 through April.
Sessions will be held on Sunday afternoons at the QYSA Indoor Facility.
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.
Whitecaps FC now have a network of seven primary academy centre locations including the Northern Academy Centre, Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Okanagan, Kamloops, the Kootenays and the Saskatchewan Academy Centre — the first centre outside of B.C.
For more information on the Cariboo Prospects Academy visit whitecapsfc.com/cariboo or contact Holtom at rholtom@whitecapsfc.com or at 250-981-4401.