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Dario Zanatta of Victoria used to tootle around the Royal Athletic Park pitch as a kid before and after games and practices when his dad, Dante Zanatta, coached Victoria United of the Pacific Coast Soccer League.
The game is in the DNA for the younger Zanatta, who has signed a two-year contract with Hearts of the Scottish Premiership. The midfielder/forward 鈥� who was called up in April by the Canadian U-18 team for a tournament in Slovakia 鈥� will start out with the Hearts U-20 side.
鈥淚鈥檓 very excited to have signed here in Scotland with Hearts. I feel as if the opportunity I have here is just what I need and I鈥檓 really happy with the decision I have made to come to Europe and follow my dreams,鈥� said the 18-year-old.
A moment like this becomes not only a time to look ahead, but also for reflection.
鈥淚f it wasn鈥檛 for all the great coaches I had, starting at a young age playing for Gorge F.C. and Lower Island Metro, I know none of this could have happened,鈥� Zanatta said.
鈥淢oving to Vancouver and joining the Whitecaps Residency was a new challenge, which made me grow as a player and as a person.鈥�
Sport was all around Dario. Dad Dante is now a head coach in Canadian Interuniversity Sport, guiding UBC-Okanagan to a sa国际传媒 West Conference playoff berth last season.
Dario鈥檚 brother Keegan, now a swimmer in the CIS with the UBC Thunderbirds, came up swimming in the late Randy Bennett鈥檚 group at Saanich Commonwealth Place with two-time Olympic-medallist Ryan Cochrane and other Olympians such as Alec Page and Hilary Caldwell.
It鈥檚 a big year for Keegan, who won the 400-metre freestyle last week at the Canadian championships, as he eyes next spring鈥檚 Canadian Olympic trials in Toronto for Rio 2016.
鈥淲e鈥檝e always been a very athletic family, but it鈥檚 full credit to the boys .... they are the ones who have achieved their own results,鈥� Dante Zanatta said.
But sometimes things don鈥檛 go according to plan.
鈥淎fter committing to Whitecaps Residency [at 14], we always thought Dario would sign with the [MLS] 鈥機aps,鈥� Dante said.
鈥淏ut much like Adam Straith [the Canadian national team and Norwegian Premier Division defender from Victoria who also came through Whitecaps Residency], it turned out differently. Dario decided to go to Europe.鈥�
And he鈥檚 looking forward to the overseas adventure with Hearts, after earlier trials with Ipswich Town and Queens Park Rangers in England, Dundee United in Scotland and IFK Gothenburg in Sweden.
鈥淚 decided to take a risk and come to Europe for trials and I haven鈥檛 looked back since,鈥� said Dario, who grew up rooting for A.C. Milan.
鈥淗eart of Midlothian is an organization rich in history and I couldn鈥檛 be happier with where I am now.鈥�
Right back at you kid, as Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson and U-20 mentor Jack Ross are obviously happy to have him, as is evident by the two-year contract offered.
鈥淒ario is a great finisher and has a high soccer IQ,鈥� said Dante, who has certainly assessed a lot of soccer talent in his time.
In a unique connection, Dante coached the Pacific Coast League all-star team that lost 4-1 to Hearts in a 2004 friendly at Royal Athletic Park.
Dario was seven at the time and watched from the stands. It was Hearts鈥� second trip to the capital following a 3-0 victory over the Victoria All-Stars in 1960.
