BMO Featured Players
Whitecaps FC and BMO share a commitment to developing young soccer talent through a coast-to-coast network of Whitecaps BMO Academy Centres.
With World Cup 2026 fast approaching, get to know below some of your future Canadian stars with our Whitecaps FC BMO “Ones to Watch” and “Players of the Month”
Ones to Watch
Elizabeth Hanson – Saskatchewan BMO Academy Centre
Players of the Month – February
CMSA
Name: Raquelle Ruiz
Birth Year: 2008
What her coaches say: “Raquelle has been a part of our academy for a couple of years now and has displayed a fantastic capacity to learn. Raquelle is primarily a goalkeeper who recognizes the need to be comfortable with the ball, especially in areas of receiving and mid to long-range passing to be able to build attacks from the back. Over time, we have seen considerable improvement with Raquelle and her ability to take a directional first touch to where she wants to go next. Hopefully, combined with her strong handling ability we can help to develop a well-rounded goalkeeper. Keep up the excellent work Raquelle!”
Name: Nico Munoz
Birth Year: 2008
What his coaches say: “Nico is an exciting prospect from Calgary and Chile whom we have had the prospect of coaching now for a couple of years. We can’t think of many players that we teach who has a better relationship with a football than Nico. Nico can dominate a football match with his ball control. He is so at ease with the ball that he can look two, three steps ahead before the ball either rolls towards his foot or comes at him in the air which allows him to make accurate decisions in possession. This is why technique is so important and we know Nico will building his technique to make it nearly impossible for opponents to get the ball in the future. Keep working hard Nico, be patient and good things will come!”
Lethbridge
Name: Sydney McDonald
Birth Year: 2006
What her coaches say: “Sydney has proven that even during lockdown she wants to better herself anyway she possibly can. Syd racked up over 110km running in a little over three weeks, despite sub zero temperatures. Without doubt, this goes to show Syd’s motivation and how desperate she is to hit the ground running once we hit the field again. Great work ethic Big Syd, an award definitely deserved”
Okotoks
Name: Cate Vandenbrink
Birth Year: 2007
What her coaches say: “Cate has been a part of our Whitecaps FC BMO Academy program since its inception and shown great progress in the past couple of years. Cate is a defender by nature as she reads the game very well out of possession and anticipates danger well to cut out key passes. Technically, Cate improved her ability to receive from different scenarios on the field, most specifically opening up on the back foot to attack space in front. Cate should have plenty of confidence after a really strong season and we are excited to help develop her further in the game!”
Name: Justin Len
Birth Year: 2009
What his coaches say: “Justin has been a part of our program for a couple of years and brings tremendous energy to practice. “Justinho” as he is affectionally known as in the group due to his Brazilian like dribbling capabilities, has been working really hard to improve his decision-making in possession as well and we have seen real progress in this area. He is now looking around more often to paint pictures in his mind of where he wants to go next before the ball comes to him and this will help him become a more consistent performer! Keep up the good work Justin!”
Springbank
Name: Madison Hargreaves
Birth Year: 2009
What her coaches say: “Madison has displayed immense growth since she first come on to the field at SAIT in the Spring of 2019. Her aerial and ground ball control has improved significantly which has lead to her playing at a much higher speed and tempo of play. Her natural balance and coordination with the ball helps her to change direction very quickly and break lines. Madison is also a very positive and cheerful person who brings great energy to practices which the coaches love. Madison should continue to build up her technique as she is currently doing as this will help with her vision to see beyond the first line of support attackers when she has the ball as she will be even more comfortable running with it with her head up. Keep up the steady progress Madison!”
Name: Heartheaven Quartz Das
Birth Year: 2010
What his coaches say: “Quartz has been a member of our Whitecaps Academy since its inception in Calgary and this player of the month nomination is probably overdue! Quartz can create space for himself on the field from nothing with his ball mastery capabilities which is testament to how much time he spends developing technique at home. The energy that Quartz brings to training is also tremendous and he should continue to develop his leadership qualities to impact others positively around him. An area that Quartz is also looking to improve on his awareness and vision to make more accurate decisions in possession to impact the game more often in the attacking third. Keep advancing your manipulation of the ball Quartz as that is a special quality of yours that you should continue to hone!”
Name: Payton Lumley
Birth Year: 2008
What her coaches say: “Payton has recently joined our program and is very intense and wants to learn. She has a great attitude and comes to training with a smile on her face and continually pushes to challenge herself. When she is on the field she is focused and ready to play. She is a pleasure to coach and we hope she continues to develop and grow in the program. Great work Payton!”
What her coaches say: “Payton has recently joined our program and is very intense and wants to learn. She has a great attitude and comes to training with a smile on her face and continually pushes to challenge herself. When she is on the field she is focused and ready to play. She is a pleasure to coach and we hope she continues to develop and grow in the program. Great work Payton!”
Name: Caleb Kroad
Birth Year: 2007
What his coaches say: “Caleb has been in our academy for over five years and has continued to improve year after year. Caleb has an amazing attitude and work ethic and you can tell loves the game of soccer. He never stops wanting to play and improving. He is an absolute pleasure to coach and we look forward to continuing to help him develop and reach higher levels of the game. Great work Caleb!”
What his coaches say: “Caleb has been in our academy for over five years and has continued to improve year after year. Caleb has an amazing attitude and work ethic and you can tell loves the game of soccer. He never stops wanting to play and improving. He is an absolute pleasure to coach and we look forward to continuing to help him develop and reach higher levels of the game. Great work Caleb!”
Name: Olivia McClenaghan
Birth Year: 2008
What her coaches say: “Olivia’s improvement over the past two months has been absolutely fantastic. She works hard, is a great teammate and has improved her ability to strike the ball both in terms of passing and shooting. She is very helpful around the coaches. She is welcoming to new players and her attitude is second to none. Well done on the Player of the Month award Olivia. Keep up the good work”
What her coaches say: “Olivia’s improvement over the past two months has been absolutely fantastic. She works hard, is a great teammate and has improved her ability to strike the ball both in terms of passing and shooting. She is very helpful around the coaches. She is welcoming to new players and her attitude is second to none. Well done on the Player of the Month award Olivia. Keep up the good work”
Name: Bruin Whittle
What his coaches say: “Bruin has shown a fantastic attitude to train since the New year. He works extremely hard at each practice and wants to get better. Continue to work on your close control while dribbling, the moves we have been practicing and your passing ability. I have been very impressed with your appetite to compete with boys two years your senior. Continue to work hard over the next few sessions. Well done Bruin”
Kootenay West
Name: Kieran Dehnel
Birth Year: 2003
What his coaches say: “Kieran is one of our longest-serving players in the academy system here in the Kootenays and has recently earned a spot on the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns for the upcoming season after graduating our Caps to College program. We are tremendously proud of Kieran and can’t wait to watch him play at the next level!”
Kootenay East
Name: Enoch Shope
Birth Year: 2007
What his coaches say: “Enoch has had a brilliant attitude and has come with a real intent to get better each session. In addition, he has continuously worked to get out of his comfort zone and recently he has started to take on a real leadership role within the U14 group. This has been amazing to see! Great stuff Enoch!”
Kootenay South
Name: Kaleb Scott
Birth Year: 2003
What his coaches say: “Kaleb is a very-deserved winner of this award as he has put in tons of hard work over the years with our programs. He is a relentless worker and is a very good athlete with strong technical abilities who always gives his best in the training sessions. Congrats on the award Kaleb!”
Name: Aidan Agnew
Birth Year: 2009
Birth Year: 2009
What his coaches say: “Aidan joined us about six months ago. During this time on the field and during virtual sessions we can clearly tell that Aidan is very commited, has a great eye for detail and possesses good individual technique. Aidan is always ready to practice and is very coachable, has a great capacity to listen and comes to every session very eager to learn and get better every single day! A pleasure to coach”
Mainland Academy – Girls
Name: Chantel Desrosiers
Birth Year: 2009
Birth Year: 2009
What her coaches say: “Chantel continues to show dedication to her development through her effort and attitude in training, along with the additional work she’s put in at home. Chantal has a great approach to training through learning new concepts. She always finds a way to challenge herself with new tricks and skills. Great job Chantel! Keep working hard!”
Mainland Academy – Boys
Name: Woo Hyun (William Lee)
Birth Year: 2012
Birth Year: 2012
What his coaches say: “William is new to our academy and prospects program. William shows a lot of passion and excitement during training, he is also very competitive during training and always gives maximum effort. William has been a great addition to our environment and we look forward to working with him”
UBC
Name: Bronwynn Weldon
Birth Year: 2009
Birth Year: 2009
What her coaches say: “Bronwynn has been a pleasure to work with once again this year! Bronwynn shows up every week with the perfect attitude, always ready to listen, learn and apply herself. Bronwynn has shown continued progress throughout the season and has impressed coaches with her technical ability consistently. Well done Bronwynn and keep it up!”
Fraser Valley
Name: Briar Balaka
Birth Year: 2011
Birth Year: 2011
What her coaches say: “Briar consistently shows a fantastic attitude and work ethic at training every week! Briar has really applied herself at every session over the past year and is constantly showing improvement in all areas of her game. Briar always comes to training smiling and has an amazing presence as a leader in the group. Well done Briar and keep up the excellent work!”
Name: Keaton Long
Birth Year: 2008
What his coaches say: “Keaton is a member of our pre-prospects in Manitoba and also trains in our Virtual Academy. Keaton is very fun to work with and always shows great focus on his individual development, he is always practicing on his own and it really shows each week. Keep up the great work Keaton”
Name: Katelyn Murphy
Birth Year: 2008
Birth Year: 2008
What her coaches say: “’A forward-thinking and forward-moving player with a very promising finishing touch. Not afraid to take responsibility by running and dribbling at players with good disguise, which often makes defenders confused. Already at this age, she possesses a very distinctive competitive edge”
Prince George
Name: Sarvin Saini
Birth Year: 2010
Birth Year: 2010
What his coaches say: “A high-level wrestler when not training in our club, Sarvin has made big strides over the past year. With his dedication and the support of his parents, Sarvin takes every opportunity to get time on the ball. Although game play has been restricted, we are using this time to work on Sarvin’s body alignment and his movement skill on and off the ball. A very coachable young player, we look forward to tracking his growth and development over the next few years”
Name: Kysac MacDonald
Birth Year: 2006
Birth Year: 2006
What his coaches say: “Despite only joining the program at the start of 2021, Kysac has really excelled in the environment. His hard work and attitude, mixed with his technical qualities make him someone who coaches love to work with on a daily basis. Congratulations Kysac!”
Name: Taliah Evans
Birth Year: 2008
What her coaches say: “Taliah has been amazing this month, and was recommended by multiple coaches within our programs. Taliah brings an incredible work ethic to every practice, an incredible desire to improve, and never gives up. She improves everyone around her and is a pleasure to coach. Great job Taliah, keep it up!”
Birth Year: 2008
What her coaches say: “Taliah has been amazing this month, and was recommended by multiple coaches within our programs. Taliah brings an incredible work ethic to every practice, an incredible desire to improve, and never gives up. She improves everyone around her and is a pleasure to coach. Great job Taliah, keep it up!”
Name: Strahinja Bogunovic
Birth Year: 2010
What his coaches say: “Bogo is a wonderful young footballer. He is silky smooth on the ball and always brings new moves that he has learned at home to practices. In addition to his technical ability, Bogo also brings an excellent work ethic, and makes sure his teammates also raise to that level. Bogo has a great future ahead of him. Keep up the passion and hard work Bogo!”
Birth Year: 2010
What his coaches say: “Bogo is a wonderful young footballer. He is silky smooth on the ball and always brings new moves that he has learned at home to practices. In addition to his technical ability, Bogo also brings an excellent work ethic, and makes sure his teammates also raise to that level. Bogo has a great future ahead of him. Keep up the passion and hard work Bogo!”
Name: Kate Landry
Birth Year: 2009
Birth Year: 2009
What her coaches say: “Kate has an outstanding work ethic and focus on the field. As a centre midfielder, she is very composed on the ball when under pressure and has an excellent range of passing. Kate is showing consistent player habits, has improved her decision-making on and off the ball and is very good in 1v1 situations. Kate is showing consistency in all aspects of her game, is very coachable and leads by example through her desire to keep improving.”
Name: Hugo Trembloy
Birth Year: 2009
Birth Year: 2009
What his coaches say: “Hugo is in his second year of our Whitecaps FC program. He is an attacking player with excellent technical ability and a high level of awareness and vision. He consistently shows good decision-making and is a very creative player. Hugo always gives his best in practice and games and has a strong and smart work ethic. He is an inspiration to the other players, is very coachable and has a wonderful appetite for the game.”
Name: Isabella Ryan
Birth Year: 2004
Birth Year: 2004
What her coaches say: “Isabella is a fantastic trainer and shows great focus during sessions. We often find ourselves throwing Isabella more new skills to try all the time as she is a very sharp soccer student. Keep up the effort and keep enjoying every moment!”
Name: Nico Munoz
Birth Year: 2008
Birth Year: 2008
What his coaches say: “Nico has been improving so much on his player habits over the last month and he has really been shining during the VA sessions. Nico is always up for the next competition and he is really working hard on his freestyle moves. It’s great to see your excitement every session Nico, keep up the great work”
| PLAYER | BMO ACADEMY CENTRE |
| Addis & Semegn Atkinson | Kootenay BMO Academy Centre |
| Alessandro Calado | Manitoba BMO Academy Centre |
| Alesandro Comita | Kamloops BMO Academy Centre |
| Brandon Tam | London BMO Academy Centre |
| Camren Strang | Newfoundland BMO Academy Centre |
| Nova Scotia BMO Academy Centre | |
| Isaac Boehmer | Okanagan BMO Academy Centre |
| Joe Hanson | Yukon BMO Academy Centre |
| Kimia Kassanda | Alberta BMO Academy Centre |
| Kyle Steenstra | Alberta BMO Academy Centre |
| Molly Mertin | Northwest BMO Academy Centre |
| Owen Antoniuk | Alberta BMO Academy Centre |
| Riad Jaha | PEI BMO Academy Centre |
| Sarina Tait | Kelowna BMO Academy Centre |
| Taya Short | Kootenays West BMO Academy Centre |
Click here and find a Whitecaps FC BMO Academy Centre program near you.