Richmond's Riley Pang is among seven B.C. players invited to Montreal this week for a national men's U15 soccer evaluation camp.
The three-day camp is primarily being used to evaluate 30 players from Canada's four professional academies. Players from U15 provincial teams will have an opportunity to perform in front of Canadian coaches at the 2013 Canadian Soccer Association All-Stars Showcase in July.
Pang, a Grade 9 student at Steveston-London secondary, is in his first season with the Whitecaps FC Residency Program. The central defender grew up in the Richmond Youth Soccer Association before playing for Fusion FC of the B.C.
Premier Soccer League. He was recruited by the Whitecaps last summer.
Canada's increased activity at the U15 level is part of Technical Director Tony Fonseca's vision for the international development of young Canadian players that centers around increased contact with the national team program at a young age.
"The move towards increased national team opportunities for our U15 men's players began last year and this is something that you can expect to see continue," said Fonseca from camp in Montréal,
"This particular camp is an opportunity for us to identify prospective national team players from the MLS and NASL academies."
The schedule for the U15s will not be limited to domestic camps however, as following the evaluation opportunities, Canada will assemble a team to take part in a CONCACAF U15 tournament in Mexico City Aug. 6-18; as well as the AGS Cup in Alicante, Spain in September.
"This type of increased international experience for our youngest players represents a big step forward for us," said Fonseca.
"It is proven that the world's best international sides are identifying players at younger ages than ever before and we are pleased to have a program that will allow us to incorporate our young players into the Canada set-up during the early stages of their careers.
"Our goal is for our core national team players to have 50 international caps under their belts by the time the time they are 19-years-old."
