COMPETITIVE PATHWAY – A CUP
The Competitive Pathway Program is delivered in partnership with the Whitecaps, Vancouver Island Academy Centre, providing a high-performance environment to support and develop players who aspire to compete at the Collegiate level and beyond.
Players in the U14 age group will participate in the Whitecaps Prospects Program, while those in U15 and U17 will be supported through the Caps to College Program, offering targeted guidance and exposure for athletes looking to advance their soccer careers.
The program runs from September to June, and players will receive three training sessions per week, including technical and tactical development as well as futsal training. Physical development is further supported through specialized sessions with Speed Mechanics and a strength training program provided by the University of Victoria.
As part of their development, U15 and U17 players will also have the opportunity to travel to Sweden during the summer to train and compete against top Swedish clubs at WIA’s Sweden ID Camp, held in partnership with Halmstads BK (at additional cost), while the U14 will compete in the Laxacupen Tournament in Halmstads Sweden (at additional cost).
The program runs from September to June and is delivered in alignment with the technical standards of the BCSPL Player Development Program.
Delivered in partnership with the Whitecaps Prospects (U10-U14) and the Whitecaps Caps to College (U15-U19) Programs, WIA’s Competitive Pathway provides
- A focus on individual technical training
- A focus on positional tactical training
- Access to Sports Sciences
- Competitive environments
- Showcase events
- Pathway support to play Collegiate Soccer
Training sessions include
- Team field sessions with an emphasis on topics such as proactive decision-making and tactical game management
- Team strategies
- Speed of play
Season Plan
EXHIBITION – LISA SEASONCYCLE PHASE I | COMPETITIVE – WESTCOAST LEAGUECYCLE PHASE II | HALMSTADS BK – TRAINING CAMPCYCLE PHASE III |
MEASURE &EVALUATE | PLAY &COMPETE | TRAIN &EVALUATE |
SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER | FEBRUARY – JUNE | JULY – AUG |
| Physical testing, Tactical, Technical & Functional introduction Individual Development Plans (IDP) | Physical, Tactical, Technical & Functional Competition and tactical phase. Individual Development Plans (IDP) | Training Camp and Trials in Sweden Individual Development Plans (IDP) |
TOURNAMENT | DATE | VENUE | AGE |
| FTF – Family Day Showcase | February 2026 | Vancouver, BC | U16 & U18 |
| Whitecaps – Caps to College Academy Showcase | March/April 2026 | Vancouver, BC | U16 & U18 |
| Victoria Day Cup | May 2026 | Victoria, BC | U16 & U18 |
LOWER ISLAND SOCCER ASSOCIATION YOUTH LEAGUE
Teams will compete in the West Coast League (U14) or the LISA Hybrid League (U16 and U18 Divisions). League structure to be confirmed.
Teams will compete in the competitive pathway to represent the District in the BC Soccer Provincial A Cup Championship.
PROFESSIONAL TRIALS AND COLLEGE SHOWCASE TOURNAMENTS
The WIA players have the opportunity to explore professional opportunities in Sweden through our partner club Halmstads BK. There are also opportunities to be scouted at international tournaments and college showcases in the US and Canada. https://westcastleinternationalacademy.com/international-tournaments/
