Prince Rupert’s aspiring soccer players will have the opportunity to hone their skills under the watchful eye of professional coaches at the Whitecaps Academy free training day on April 9.
The academy announced earlier in the year that it would be expanding its program to various northwest cities, including Prince Rupert.
“It is a great opportunity, especially for the younger children. It’s not very often, especially in the north, where we have paid professionals of any sport come up and train children. What they can learn from these guys is absolutely amazing,” said Gordon Armstrong, from Prince Rupert Youth Soccer Association (PRYSA).
Craig Angus, head coach, and Ewan Fisher, the new associate head coach, will be heading up the training day, which does not require registration.
Besides being a good opportunity for kids to fine-tune their skills and get ready for the soccer season, the day will be an opportunity for parents to get an understanding of what to expect if their child were selected for the academy itself.
The training day will be held at Charles Hays Secondary School. U9-U10 will take the field from 10-11 a.m., U11-U12 from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., U13-U14 will be 12:30-1:30 p.m. and U15 and over will be on the field from 1:45-2:45 p.m.
“What they can learn from these guys is absolutely amazing. I’ve seen the difference that it’s made in Prince George and down south in quality of play that they have,” Armstrong said.
Evaluations for entry to the academy will take place at McKeown Field in Port Edward later in April. The U9, U10, U11 and U12’s will be evaluated on April 20, while the U13, U15 and U15-U18’s will be tested on April 21. Only a limited number of players will be selected for the academy, which begins in May. For more information, go to www.whitecapsfc.com/princerupert.