Today the Vancouver MLS side went public with ther full-time, fully funded program which now has the moniker, Whitecaps FC Academy. They hope to keep on with developing young talent at their new Whitecaps FC National Soccer Development Center (NSDC) as they have since last year. In this time, 5 players have inked MLS deal with the team, graduate Alphonso Davies a 2018 MLS All-Star set the MLS transfer record to FC Bayern Munich.
For the 2018-'19 season the ages groups are to be U-19, 17 & 15, with 22 new players. 43 hailing from BC making up 65% of all, 11 new ones are from the BC Soccer Premier League. League matches kick off Sept 8 in the USSDA as they go at the Timbers the next week they host the Sounders.
The staff has changed a bit with the U-19 coach Ricky King coming over from NYRB then the HC of the 'Caps FC Alberta South Academy Center, King is to be assisted by Michael D'Agostino back after being an assistant with the yonger academy teams last season. U-17's coach RIch Fagan has alread 2x lead teams to the Academy Finals and was a HC in the USL, his assistant is to be Dalibor Plavsic a past learning facilitator with BC Soccer and coached whtth the 'Caps FC Regional Center in Vancouver. From the U-14's comes U-15's new coach, assisted by Dan Fairhurst who had been with Mountain United FC & BC Soccer High Performance Program. GK coach Raegyn returns assisted by Lucas Menz, past with the FUsion FC & Quest U.
This year the U-15' & 17's will partake in the Generation adidas Cup drawing teams from MLS and world wide.
December brings select players to Spain to train with Real Madrid Foundation Coaches in Spain.
A new Developmental Team of young first team members and top Academy players going to face USL affiliate Fresno FC tommorow then in Oct. off to Mexico to face their u-20 National Team.