by Darril Fosty,

Boxscore: April 1, 2014 - Soccer in Canada dates to the 1860s, with the first professional game being played in Vancouver between the Callies and Rovers in 1910. Soccer in Canada dates to the 1860s, with the first professional game being played in Vancouver between the Callies and Rovers in 1910.

Through its roughly 150-year history, the potential of Canadian soccer has never been fully realized. Nearly thirty-years have past since Vancouver Whitecaps greats, striker Carl Valentine and goalkeeper Tino Lettieri, helped lead Canada to its only FIFA World Cup appearance. Canada's continuing failures on the men's international senior level having left many to openly question if another appearance on sporting's biggest stage will ever occur again in their lifetime.

Although participation in soccer in Canada has always been high, and the country has been able to produce quality individual talent, international team failures have seemingly become the hallmark of the senior men's soccer program. Recently plummeting to its all-time worst FIFA World Ranking, Canada current sits at 112 wedged between the Dominican Republic and Latvia and 12th in the CONCACAF Zonal ranking just ahead of Guatemala.

Although many conveniently point the finger to Soccer Canada, in truth Canadian soccer has long had fundamental organizational flaws as coordinated development between soccer entities have traditionally been non-existent. Although Valentine and Lettieri suited up for Canada, their births, along with their soccer development, having both occurred on foreign soils.

Canadian professional, college, and youth leagues throughout Canada have traditionally operated in their own sporting universe - "Never the twain shall meet." Player development falling largely, too often, on regional programs differing greatly in structure and leadership.

Until the last decade, most Canadian colleges and universities had placed very little importance on their sports programs. Canadian Interuniversity Sport operating as almost a dirty little secret in comparison to the front-and-center American NCAA.

Underfunded and underappreciated within their own institutions, Canadian college men's soccer was only truly emphasized by a limited number of CIS members. This was particularly so in the West with The University of British Columbia being the Canadian bell-weather, akin to that of Carleton University's basketball program, with the Thunderbirds winning 13 of 45 CIS National Championships and the University of Victoria (5) and the University of Alberta (3) rounding out the country's most decorated programs. These teams styling themselves much like their top American college counterparts with a dedicated approach to their development from within their universities.

Take for example, the University of Saskatchewan of the 1980s under Andy Snow who operated a program on almost a club-level-like existence relying heavily on English transplants to walk-on and compete. For the Huskies this began to change in the 1990s under Jovo Radovic.

A professional player in Yugoslavia in the mid-1950s-1960s, Radovic had played during the golden age of Yugoslav soccer when Marshall Tito's focus on the sport had pushed the country to near the top of the soccer world.

Born and raised in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, Radovic became a part-time coach in Yugoslavia's first division in 1966 before spending two years (1970-72) on the coaching staff for the Yugoslav Olympic team. Moving to Canada in the early 1990s, Radovic would become head of the University of Saskatchewan's men's soccer program (1997-2003). Once there, Radovic began to lay the foundation for competitive program strengthening the university's roots at the regional youth level. It was under Radovic, in 2001, that a young small town player from Dalmeny in central Saskatchewan received an opportunity to coach on the Huskies.

A product of the Saskatchewan Provincial youth soccer programs, Bryce Chapman had played for Saskatchewan in the 1995 Canada Games and 1997 Western Canada Games becoming a certified coach by the age of 20. In 2004, Chapman replaced the aging Radovic after his retirement.

"Working with Jovo was a really good experience, he brought with him a European flavor," stated Chapman. Adding, "working with Jovo was a benefit, he created a good foundation for the program, one we are able to build on, and now starting to see the benefits of it."

With increased support from the U of S, Chapman has continued to build the program taking Huskie soccer to unprecedented heights reaching their first-ever CIS Men's Soccer Championship, finishing sixth. "The first trip in school history was a massive accomplishment and a positive experience," said Chapman. "Of course we would have liked to have done more."

The Huskies were victims of a bit of bad luck, falling to the host University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds in penalties, before defeating Ryerson and then falling, once again in penalty kicks, to the Montreal Carabins.

Looking ahead, Chapman is excited and upbeat about the team's prospects as the Huskies will be returning 18 players from last season's squad. This recent success has been largely rooted in the formation of the Huskie United Soccer Academy (HUSA) in 2009 and its transformation to the Whitecaps Saskatchewan Academy Centre in February 2013.

The Whitecaps Saskatchewan Academy Centre is one of several new Academy soccer programs sponsored by Canadian Major League Soccer clubs throughout Canada. The Montreal Impact, Toronto FC, and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC all help operate regional development centers in partnership with local organizations. The Whitecaps FC operating seven centers throughout Western Canada including the Saskatchewan Academy Centre headed by Chapman.

Saskatchewan Huskies and Whitecaps FC Academy head coach Bryce Chapman (photo credit Josh Schaefer Photography)

"All three (MLS Academy systems), along with the CIS and Canada West provide a platform for Canadian soccer," said Chapman. In the past, "Canadian Universities have been a missed opportunity for Canadian professional and international development and success."

In discussing his role as both Saskatchewan Huskies' coach and Whitecaps FC Academy head coach, Chapman states, "There is synergy between the two groups. Both see the value of both working together." Continuing, "(For myself) its the balancing the two worlds. From August to November there is a heavy load with the University program, the rest of the year is building the Academy Centre."

It is largely through the academy Chapman is finding his university recruits in conjunction with traditional school connections. For the Whitecaps, two University of Saskatchewan players will be joining their U-23 team playing in the United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) this Spring.

Jordian Farahani in action with the Huskies (photo credit Josh Schaefer Photography)

Brett Levis and Jordian Farahani will suit up for the Whitecaps FC and also have opportunities to train with the Whitecaps first team training pool. Levis is in his third year as a Huskie and is a two-time All-Canadian and Canada West All-Star. Levis also had a trial with the first team last year and has now been invited back to play with the U-23 squad. Farahani is in his fourth year with the Huskies and is also a 2011 and 2013 Canada West All-Star.

Saskatchewan's Brett Levis (photo credit Josh Schaefer Photography) Levis is an example of the Saskatchewan Academy success,"Bret has been in the program since Grade 9, he is a true product of what we are doing," said Chapman. "There are (quality) players in ever pocket of the country ... (The Academies provide) an opportunity to bring players into training centres and exposed them to layers of quality." Chapman adding its about finding young talent and putting them on the right developmental pathway by, "getting those players in the right environment and leveraging college and professional level training ... The nice things with the (Canadian) pro clubs is players who may have once fallen through the cracks are now, with new scouting ... are finding opportunities." Levis is an example of the Saskatchewan Academy success,"Bret has been in the program since Grade 9, he is a true product of what we are doing," said Chapman. "There are (quality) players in ever pocket of the country ... (The Academies provide) an opportunity to bring players into training centres and exposed them to layers of quality." Chapman adding its about finding young talent and putting them on the right developmental pathway by, "getting those players in the right environment and leveraging college and professional level training ... The nice things with the (Canadian) pro clubs is players who may have once fallen through the cracks are now, with new scouting ... are finding opportunities."

This leveraging of Canadian colleges appears to be a step in the right direction for the development of Canadian talent. Chapman himself looked to the West Coast as a blueprint for success, "We have always used the UBC's and Trinity's (Trinity Western) as bench marks. They have always competed well with NCAA Division I," he said. "Look at what Mike Mosher does, at Bruce Wilson in Victoria, Len (Vickery) in Alberta, this has been a missed window in past years. Now players are moving on to the USL Pro PDL ... Look at what the Victoria Highlanders are doing, all with Canadian players."

For Vickery, winner of two national championships, he is entering his 28th year with the University of Alberta. Wilson, a member to the 1986 Canadian World Cup team, is beginning his 27th year at the University of Victoria having led the Vikes to four national championships. As for Mosher, he is in his 19th year with UBC having won three national championships. It is experience and leadership that has not been leveraged in the past - a wasted opportunity and something that is finally starting to change for Canadian soccer.

Combine the richness of Canadian CIS coaching with an increase in the scheduling of a longer Canadian college soccer season, mirroring that of the NCAA, the Canadian college system is becoming an integral part of Canadian soccer development. According to Chapman "CIS programs are seeing the importance of a longer season" as his Huskes having played 24 games in 2013 - nearly double of what it was only two decades ago.

Despite the continuing struggles on the men's senior level, bright spots are emerging in Canadian soccer. "The system is moving players to MLS," Chapman states. "(You see) more Canadians playing prominent roles with MLS clubs and receiving more significant minutes ... this will bring benefits on the international stage."

He goes on to add, "It is exciting ... all three pro clubs are really taking a strong role in player development. (Canadian) youth programs are gaining traction on international level because of academies."

The next major opportunity to potentially see Canadian men's academy successes on an international level will come in January 2015 at the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship for qualification for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Championships to be held in New Zealand.

Chapman admits success at the men's international senior level is still a ways out, "It is all new. It will take time on the senior side, international level, it will take a couple (World Cup) cycles to see the benefits."