Langley United coach James Stumph couldn’t have been prouder as he watched his nine-year-old son Devon walk on to the pitch at B.C. Place with Vancouver Whitecaps striker Darren Mattocks in 2012.

“(It was) a good glimpse of the future,” the Stumph said, adding that his son aspires to be a Whitecaps player himself one day. “He told me it was a memory he’ll never forget.”

For the past three years, Langley United has partnered with the Kickin’ with the Caps program, which sees soccer clubs from across B.C. participate in Whitecaps home games, with up to 100 youth players — aged 5 to 15 — getting on-field opportunities from being a player escort like Stumph’s son, to being a part of the high-five line, a ball retriever, or flag bearer.

Langley United has taken part in three games so far, with its fourth coming up in July.

“It was very rewarding as a coach ... as a father to see all the children of Langley United — boys and girls — (participate),” said Stumph. “The pictures that we post online of the smiling faces and the children running to their parents not able to wait to share their experience are priceless.”

The Kickin’ with the Caps program has been running for the past 10 years and “you never get enough of the smiling faces,” said the program’s account executive Jennifer Wills.

“We want to get youth engaged and motivated and excited about soccer for life,” she said of the program’s mandate. “A lot of them haven’t even seen a professional game ... (so) that match-day interaction with players just always pushes kids over the edge.”

And although kids aren’t running and training alongside the pros, they’re still putting in the time commitment and rehearsing for the match — thus “learning what it’s like to be in a professional sport,” said Wills.

Stumph considers it a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for his players, serving both as inspiration and proof that hard work pays off.

“To be able to hold the hands of their hero ... (and) just the opportunity of being at ground level and soaking in the atmosphere is wonderful,” he said. “To be able to see, touch and hear professional soccer ... it’s very inspirational for our young children.”

Outside of the Whitecaps program, there’s also similar opportunities with the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015, which is coming to Vancouver next summer. The June 6 to July 5 event is working on a youth program like Kickin’ with the Caps and also has endless volunteer opportunities for anyone aged 16 and over, from positions in administration, to competition services, guest services, media and communications, etc.

“There’s a lot to learn (from) an event of this scale,” said Rita Rogers, with the Vancouver office for the women’s World Cup. “Just to be able to kind of view how all that takes place and be a part of it is really exciting, I think, for somebody who’s really keen on soccer and wants to be involved in any way, shape or form.”

“We hope to provide them with an opportunity where they can use their skills … or extend their skills and their knowledge and experience.”

Not only would some positions allow volunteers to rub elbows with the pros, but other roles could also inspire youth players into a sports-related field, like sports management or tourism, said Rogers.

“Even in a professional realm, to see the side of sports management — that’s a great appeal to a lot of people, to marry their love of sport with a career,” she said. “That’s a possibility for people that’s really huge.”

To get involved with the Kickin’ with the Caps program, contact jwills@whitecapsfc.com" TARGET="_blank">jwills@whitecapsfc.com and to volunteer for the women’s World Cup, visit fifa.com/womensworldcup/organisation/volunteers.

lcahute@theprovince.com

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