Riley Pang has made a quick ascend to the top level for youth soccer players in the province.
Just two seasons removed from playing for a Gold rep team in the Richmond Youth Soccer Association, the 14 year-old has earned spot on the Whitecaps Residency U15 roster. Pang's invitation came after an extensive evaluation process that began eight months ago and included tournaments in San Jose, Portland and Seattle. He is just one of 19 1998 born players with the Residency Program and becomes the fifth player from Richmond to be selected - joining Carlos Marquez (U18), along with Girls Elite team members Justine Do, Natasha Magnus and Summer Clarke.
Whitecaps Residency just kicked off its 2012-13 full-time training program as the club prepares for their second season in the United States Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) - the premier academy league in North America. The Whitecaps field U16 and U18 squads in the USSDA.
The younger players, including Pang's age group, will play a number of exhibition games and tournaments over the coming months. The schedule is intense with SFU-based training sessions four times a week and games on Sundays.
It's resulted in a big life adjustment for Pang to chase his dream of one day playing for Canada just like his father Ray once did. He has re-worked his Grade 9 class schedule at StevestonLondon secondary to allow study time before he makes the long trek to Burnaby Mountain soon after school. His basketball career has come to a halt and there will be little down time to be with his friends.
"I second guessed my decision a lot," admitted Pang who had a 48-hour commitment window. "I was basically thinking about it all night but this is my sport and it puts me in a position to go where I want to hopefully be one day."
Pang got a jump start on his soccer career when he played alongside his older brother on a U8 team his dad coached. He worked his way up to RYSA's Gold team by U13 when he went through a considerable growth spurt. The 6foot central defender then cracked the roster of the U14 Vancouver Fusion of the fledging B.C. Premier Soccer League. It was his play last fall that earned him a spot with Canadian Soccer's National Training Centre over the winter months where he got the attention of the Whitecaps. He then returned to the Fusion for the BCPSL spring season and promptly earned a spot with the provincial under 14 team.
"I guess you can say I have done it all," he laughed. "The thing is, I was never the best player on my team when I was younger.
I had a major growth spurt and everything really took off from there."
Pang added he was aware how three Richmond players - Caleb Clarke, Declan Rodriguez and Marquez - were among the first to sign with the Residency Program. Clarke is now a member of the Whitecaps first team and recently made his Major League Soccer debut. Rodriquez is in his freshman season at the University of Milwaukee after earning a full ride scholarship.
"It's definitely inspiring to see what they have accomplished," said Pang. "When Caleb signed with the first time I remember thinking maybe that could be me one day."
mbooth@richmond-news.com
