After a few months of anticipation, the Vancouver Whitecaps Prospects Academy hit the turf at Yara Centre on Sunday for its first sessions here in Moose Jaw.
Players ran through drills throughout the afternoon under the watchful eye of Whitecaps FC Saskatchewan head coach Jonathan O’Neill.
"It was fun, it was a good fun group to work with," said O’Neill.
The Academy features players from Moose Jaw, Regina, Weyburn, Swift Current and more places around the province. They will take part in an eight-week program that will focus on a number of different skills throughout the sessions.
O’Neill said that their main focus is teaching game-based skills.
"We’re not going to stand around passing the ball back-and-forth, we’re going to have them in games with conditions that are going to bring out the concept that we want to work on," said O’Neill.
"We have eight different themes that we’re going to work on over the eight weeks, but the last two weeks will be a recap of everything that we’ve done."
Moose Jaw soccer player Jane Morris took part in the U15-U18 session and said she was able to take a lot from the afternoon.
"It was very tiring, fast-paced day, the way that I like it," said Morris. "It’s nice having a new coach, I’ve had plenty of coaches in my time playing soccer, so I learn the best with different perspectives."
The session combines boys and girls together and Morris said that will be a benefit for her, "It’s a very different game than playing with girls, they tend to be faster and girls are a little more strategic, so I like it," she said.
The players will be back at Yara Centre over the next seven weeks.
O’Neill added that they were very pleased with the turnout for the Prospects Academy’s first venture into the Moose Jaw area.
"I was very, very surprised, happily, with the numbers that we got and hopefully in the next phase or even at the end of this one, we can grow it again," said O’Neill.
Sat, May 18, 3:00 PM
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