They are known as walk-ons in other sports. But they are trialists in soccer, which has its own parlance. Whatever you call Ryan McCurdy, call him a pro player with Pacific FC.
The 27-year-old centre-back became the 16th player, and first trialist, signed by the Canadian Premier League club.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of emotion at the moment,鈥� said the dual citizen and native of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a bit surreal.鈥�
With a lesson thrown in.
鈥淚t shows when you think the dream of pro sports may be over for you at 24 or 25, if you keep going and working hard, anything can happen,鈥� said McCurdy.
It鈥檚 been a steady progression. McCurdy won a national championship with the Vancouver Island University Mariners in 2017 and was named a Canadian colleges national all-star in the process. He remained on the Island that summer to play for the Victoria Highlanders of the USL PDL (now USL League 2). McCurdy has also played for Vic West, and so becomes the first Vancouver Island Soccer League alumnus to sign a pro contract with Pacific FC.
鈥淚鈥檝e played for a lot of different teams in Ireland and sa国际传媒 and you take away something from every experience and each of them gives you something to help you grow as a player,鈥� said McCurdy.
The amazing thing is that McCurdy came into camp with a hip fracture and was out two months before being able to join in drills only a few weeks ago.
鈥淭hey were patient with me, for which I am grateful,鈥� said McCurdy.
鈥淭rialists usually come in nervous, but I tried to display confidence. If you believe you鈥檙e good enough, you can display that confidence you need at this level. I think the coaching staff liked that. At six-foot-three, I can read the game and have a presence on the back line.鈥�
Being on the field with former Premiership pros from around the world and highly-capped Canadian national team players such as Issey Nakajima-Farran, Marcus Haber, and Marcel de Jong before he went down with injury, has been an eye-opener for McCurdy in Pacific FC camp. As has being around the flotilla of young Canadian pro talent Pacific FC has assembled.
鈥淭his is so intense and fast and nothing I鈥檝e been used to,鈥� said McCurdy.
鈥淭his is definitely a higher calibre than I鈥檝e been part of before.鈥�
But McCurdy proved he belongs.
鈥淗e checks a lot of the boxes within our club鈥檚 philosophy and has played extensively on the Island,鈥� said Pacific FC CEO and GM Rob Friend.
鈥淩yan is in a great stage of his career, and brings tremendous character on and off the field.鈥�
McCurdy becomes the second Pacific FC player out of Bill Merriman鈥檚 VIU soccer factory, joining attacking-midfielder and former Vancouver Whitecaps-2 pro player Victor Blasco.
鈥淵ou can only improve in an environment such as this,鈥� said McCurdy.
Pacific FC is preparing for the inaugural game in franchise history April 28 at Westhills Stadium against HFX Wanderers of Halifax.
