All over the soccer world, at the national and club level, youth academies are seen as the way to develop top talent from a young age.
For years now, the Vancouver Whitecaps have been running youth academies with this goal in mind. 鈥淲e want to create a pathway for kids,鈥� Whitecap legend and manager of regional programs Sam Lenarduzzi said. 鈥淭his is the start of something that I hope is going to grow and grow and grow.鈥�
In Squamish, its new 11-week Sea-to-Sky Academy started in the summer and will run in three phases. After a short break, it resumed again for the fall session at the Turf.聽
The program represents a collaboration between Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton鈥檚 youth associations and the major league soccer franchise. In the local academy, there are close to 100 top players taking part. The boys and girls from U9 to U18 levels were invited after an evaluation process, and there is even a waiting list for others who want to sign up to be a part of what Lenarduzzi calls the 鈥淲hitecaps Way.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 tremendous for the first year of the academy,鈥� Lenarduzzi said.
The Whitecaps have been conducting these kinds of programs going back to their North American Soccer League days. More recently, they have been expanding the program not only throughout 小蓝视频 into communities like Squamish but in other parts of the country.聽
For the big club, the youth program has produced dividends in the form of players like midfielders Russell Teibert and Marcos Bustos and defender Sam Adekugbe, who all moved up through youth academies into the residency program. The team proudly identifies these as homegrown players on its website.
The program鈥檚 main goal is to help develop young players in the hope of helping them move up the ranks of organized soccer in the province. One thing that makes the academy different from regular youth soccer is the emphasis on smaller sides when out on the pitch. This means more touches for kids, a practice seen as essential for their development.聽
鈥淭he theory is you need lots and lots of touches on the ball, or you need to make decisions near the ball,鈥� said Peter Weiland, head coach of Squamish Youth Soccer.
Weiland oversees the development of coaches in the league, and he agrees that the academy helps their development too. At the recent session for U12 players, the Whitecaps staff was supplemented by area coaches like Derek McKinnon, Laith Mazin and Graham Murphy. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always good to see what the coaches of other clubs are doing,鈥� Weiland said. 鈥淚t broadens the horizons.鈥�
The local association is only too happy to have this relationship in place, and, who knows, maybe a budding Christine Sinclair or Lionel Messi will begin to find her or his game right at home on the pitch in Squamish.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 a breeding ground for talent, so that lots of talent can play together. It鈥檚 beneficial for those that want to take it to the next level,鈥� Weiland said.聽
