A Vancouver Whitecaps FC soccer academy is officially coming to the northwest.
The move was unofficially decided last November, and last week, Feb. 24, the academy announced that the Northwest BC Prospects Academy based in Prince George was expanding to Terrace and Prince Rupert this spring.
Selected youth ages 8-18 will take the rigorous training programs once a week and a competitive regional team will travel for a big tournament at least once a year.
“We’re ecstatic,” said Sean Bujtas, former coach with the Terrace Youth Soccer Association (TYSA) and the instigator of the Whitecaps’ move north.
“This will hopefully give our kids more opportunities to play soccer beyond high school,” he said. “The Whitecaps will take our strongest players to (larger) tournaments to be seen, so it should increase their chances of getting scholarships to college or university.”
Supported by the youth soccer associations here, the academy is planning to kick start in May, with two experienced coaches overseeing the northwest program from Prince George to Prince Rupert.
Northern Whitecaps coach Craig Angus will be on the field to run the spring program in Terrace and Prince Rupert.
Angus has coached for the Whitecaps for four years, first on Vancouver Island and then in Prince George for the last year, and has also coached in the New York Red Bulls’ Academy in Major League Soccer.
“We’re extremely excited about giving a professional soccer environment to the smaller communities and hoping that we can progress the game,” said Whitecaps official Brett Adams.
“It’s a long term project… the people (in the northern soccer associations including TYSA) have been so passionate… so welcoming,” he said. “We already know it’s going to be a successful project and we’re really excited about it.”
The chance to train and compete with the Whitecaps’ Northwest BC Prospects Academy is by invite only.
Players will tryout, starting with an inaugural evaluation on April 18-23.
For more information see whitecapsfc.com/terracekitimat.