So you think you can dance, sing or be a star?
That鈥檚 the pop reality craze of our times. So why not in soccer?
The Canadian Premier League is holding open tryouts for any players 16-and-over across the country who believe they can play professionally.
The Island auditions are Nov. 5-6 at a park to be determined. The other trials will be held Sept. 20-21 in Halifax, Sept. 27-28 in Montreal, Oct. 1-2 in Hamilton, Oct. 11-12 in Toronto, Oct. 18-19 in Winnipeg and Oct. 25-26 in Calgary.
鈥淟et鈥檚 see what we have out there in the way of talent,鈥� said Josh Simpson, president of FC Pacific, a charter CPL franchise, which will begin play in the inaugural season next spring at a revamped Westhills Stadium in Langford.
The CPL says it has already scouted every Canadian playing pro soccer in North America and overseas. Player distribution or draft plans have yet to be finalized.
鈥淚t is quite an in-depth list the league has put together,鈥� said Simpson, the Juan de Fuca product, who went on to earn 43 caps for sa国际传媒 and play pro in Europe.
鈥淎lso, [Pacific FC assistant coach James Merriman] has a very good idea of the sa国际传媒 talent available.鈥�
Naniamo鈥檚 Merriman spent the past seven years coaching in the MLS Vancouver Whitecaps residency development system, including helping bring along Alphonso Davies, who recently signed with Bayern Munich.
鈥淭he tryouts are just the cream on the top,鈥� said Simpson, of any hidden gems that may have been overlooked.
鈥淏ut you never know.鈥�
The cost to tryout is $200, which the league says will take care of administrative costs, such as a performance evaluation summary including fitness test results, lunch, refreshments, CPL training shirt, bag and armband and medical support.
Not to mention the chance to at least know if that pro dream was realistic or not.
Alex Bunbury, capped 66 times for sa国际传媒, will conduct all the trials across the country.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of good players [in sa国际传媒] that very often have not been given the opportunity,鈥� James Easton, vice-president of soccer operations for the CPL, told the Canadian Press.
鈥淲e want to make sure that we鈥檙e looking far and wide, in all the nooks and crannies, and giving opportunities to players who think they can be professionals. So we don鈥檛 want to leave any stone unturned. Sometimes you鈥檙e only given one opportunity and it鈥檚 up to you to make the most of that opportunity.鈥�
Registration is required in advance at canpl.ca/gotgame.
鈥� With files from Canadian Press
