Who We Are
Founded in 2019, Westcastle International Academy (WIA) is a premier soccer development club based in Victoria, BC, within the Lower Island Soccer Association (LISA) District. Our mission is to nurture talented youth soccer players and help them reach their full potential.
Our Values
- Excellence: We strive to be the best.
- Creativity: We think and play creatively, with an offensive mindset.
- Dominance: We aim to control the game with our style of play.
- Talent Development: We foster growth and help players flourish.
- Leadership: We build leaders both on and off the field.
- Sportsmanship: We teach respect for opponents and integrity in competition.
What We Do
WIA’s primary objective is to develop players who can progress to make a difference in the game at higher levels of the game.
- Discovery Centre (U3-U11): Grassroots program
- Skill Centre (U9-U13): Standards based development for players who aspire to play at the highest level of soccer, including the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Island Prospects Academy and it’s benefits
- Pre-PDP (U13): Preparing committed players for competitive play, including access to the Whitecaps FC Island Prospects Academy and it’s benefits
- Competitive Pathway (U14-U18): Preparing players for competitive opportunities, including access to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC “Caps to College” Program and it’s benefits
- Pathway to Pro – Europe (U17-U20): A full-time soccer program designed for ambitious players to enhance their competitive experience, and provide pathways to semi-pro in Canada and professional opportunities in Europe, particularly in Sweden, the Netherlands, and Denmark.
The WIA Way
We play possession-based, pressing, positional, and attacking football, focusing on attractive, free-flowing play that emphasizes technique, tactical awareness, and disciplined execution. Our coaching is systematic and structured, tailored to enhance young players’ understanding of the game.
How We Do It
Each youth team is led by a professional coach, mentored by our Technical Director, Eddie Mukahanana, who embodies the “WIA Way.” Our coaches emphasize creativity, problem-solving, and bravery on the field, with collaboration across teams to ensure comprehensive player development. We recruit and train coaches in-house, with a focus on development within the Skill Centre, Competitive teams, and Pre-Collegiate/Professional programs.
Long-Term Vision
WIA aims to consistently produce talented players who can succeed at higher levels, including our Competitive Pathway teams, the Vancouver Whitecaps MLS Academy, and collegiate soccer programs. Our goal is to enable players to achieve both academic and athletic success, with opportunities to play professionally in Europe through our partnerships.
WIA is a full member of the Lower Island Youth Soccer Association, BC Soccer Association, and Pacific Coast Soccer League and holds a Canada Soccer Club License.
It is a unique and truly exciting opportunity for our youth players to experience top level training in standards based programs from Skill Centre to BCSPL and finally College. Players get the benefit of working with Canada Soccer & UEFA licensed coaches, and the opportunity to play appropriate level of competitive league matches, domestic and international tournaments, or festivals in beautiful British Columbia.” –Eddie Mukahanana, Technical Director
