 | |
| Founded | 2007 |
|---|---|
| Stadium |
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| Head coach |
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| League | League1 British Columbia (L1BC) |
| 2024 |
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| Vancouver Whitecaps FC teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Whitecaps FC Academy (sponsor name Whitecaps FC BMO Academy) is the youth system of the professional soccer club Vancouver Whitecaps FC, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It fields a men's and women's team in the semi-professional League1 British Columbia.
The men's academy is officially named the Vancouver Whitecaps FC MLS Academy. It is a full-time, fully funded, player development program. [1] Originally known as the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency programs, they changed their name in 2018 to the Whitecaps FC Academy. [2] They have affiliations with youth soccer clubs across Canada, forming part of the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy. [3]
| Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | Playoffs | Top scorer | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | League1 British Columbia | 7 | 4–4–4 | 3rd | did not qualify | Gurman Sangha (6) | [4] |
| 2023 | 8 | 5–7–2 | 3rd | Champions | Michael Hennessy (7) | [4] | |
| 2024 | 7 | 5–4–3 | 3rd | Semi-finals | 3 players (4) | [4] |
The women's academy is officially named the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy. In 2015, the Canadian Soccer Association partnered with the BC Soccer Association and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC to launch its regional EXCEL program which will be run as part of the Whitecaps FC Academy. [5]
In 2021, it was announced that the program would join the semi-professional League1 British Columbia as a founding franchise for the 2022 season. [6] [7] Their home games will take place at Ken Woods Field at the National Soccer Development Centre. [8] They played their debut match on May 22, defeating the Victoria Highlanders 5-1. [9]
During the 2022 regular season, the Whitecaps managed to finish second in the regular season standings and qualified for the Championship final, despite many of their university age players having to depart the team before the end of the season, leaving them with a roster composed of 14-17 year old players. [10] [11] In the Championship Final, the Whitecaps Girls defeated Varsity FC to win the inaugural women's League1 British Columbia title. [12] In May 2023, the team participated in the 2023 Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup, winning the title. [13] In the 2023 L1BC season, they won the league double, capturing the regular season title and the playoff championship, advancing to the Women's Inter-Provincial Championship, [14] which they also won to become the overall League1 Canada champions. [15] In 2024, they once again won the League1 BC title to advance to the Inter-Provincial Championship again, [16] winning the overall League1 Canada title for the second consecutive year. [17]
| Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | Playoffs | National / continental | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | League1 British Columbia | 7 | 8–1–3 | 2nd | Champions | withdrew | [18] | |
| 2023 | 8 | 11–1–2 | 1st | Champions | Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup | Champions | [18] | |
| Inter-Provincial Championship | Champions | |||||||
| 2024 | 7 | 10–2–0 | 1st | Champions | Inter-Provincial Championship | Champions | ||
| CONCACAF W Champions Cup | Group stage | |||||||
Swangard Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Central Park in Burnaby, British Columbia. Primarily used for soccer, rugby, football, and athletics, the stadium also used to be home to the Simon Fraser Clan football team and the Vancouver Whitecaps while they were in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) and various US-based Division 2 leagues. It opened on April 26, 1969, and has a capacity of 5,288.
The Canadian soccer league system, also called the Canadian soccer pyramid, is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in Canada. The governing body of soccer in the country is the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA), which oversees the system and domestic cups but does not operate any of its component leagues. In addition, some Canadian teams compete in leagues that are based in the United States.
TSS FC Rovers, commonly referred to as TSS Rovers, are a Canadian soccer team based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada that play in League1 British Columbia, the third tier of soccer in Canada. Established for the 2017 PDL season by general manager Will Cromack and head coach Colin Elmes, the Rovers are the under-23 team of the TSS Academy, one of the largest soccer schools in British Columbia's Lower Mainland.
Christopher Lee is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a defender.
Matteo William Campagna is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays for Vancouver FC in the Canadian Premier League.
League1 British Columbia (L1BC) is a semi-professional men's and women's soccer league in British Columbia, Canada. The league is sanctioned by the Canadian Soccer Association and the BC Soccer Association as a Division III Pro-Am league in the Canadian soccer league system.
Paul Bello Amedume is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a defender for Pacific FC in the Canadian Premier League.
Unity Football Club is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Surrey, British Columbia that plays in League1 British Columbia.
Nautsaʼmawt Football Club was a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Vancouver, British Columbia that played in League1 British Columbia.
The 2022 League1 British Columbia season was the inaugural season of play for League1 British Columbia, a pro-am league in the Canadian soccer league system. The league is the highest level of soccer based in the Canadian province of British Columbia except for fully professional clubs in the Canadian Premier League and Major League Soccer. Seven clubs participated in the 2022 season in both the men's and women's divisions.
The Canada Soccer National Development Centre and Canada Soccer EXCEL programs are full-time women's soccer development programs run by the Canadian Soccer Association in partnership with the various provincial associations to develop Canadian women's soccer players as part of the Canadian women's soccer pathway. There are three National Development Centres in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia and Regional EXCEL programs in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
League1 Canada is a national pro–am soccer organization in Canada. It consists of four regional leagues; League1 Alberta, League1 British Columbia, League1 Ontario, and Ligue1 Québec with each league operating men's and women's divisions. L1C is overseen by Canada Soccer Business, in partnership with participating provincial member federations.
The Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy is a Canada Soccer National Development Centre team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is operated by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, in partnership with BC Soccer and the Canadian Soccer Association. They have been a member club of League1 British Columbia since its inaugural season in 2022. The Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy became the first Canadian women's soccer team to play in a CONCACAF club competition, following their qualification to the inaugural CONCACAF W Champions Cup in 2024.
Robert Owen Antoniuk is a Canadian soccer player who plays for Calgary Foothills FC in League1 Alberta.
Jessica Christina De Filippo is a Canadian professional women's soccer player who plays as a forward for Whitecaps FC Elite in the League1 British Columbia.
The 2023 League1 British Columbia season was the second season of play for League1 British Columbia, a pro-am league in the Canadian soccer league system. Eight clubs participated in both the men's and women's divisions.
The 2023 League1 Canada season is the second edition of League1 Canada, the 3rd division soccer in Canada. It includes league competitions from its three member leagues, and an inter-provincial championship for select teams from the women's divisions.
Eric James Lajeunesse is a Canadian soccer player.
Jeneva Ann Hernandez Gray is a Canadian soccer player who plays for the Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite in League1 British Columbia.
Gabriele Simone Masi is a Canadian soccer player who plays for Burnaby FC in League1 British Columbia.
