Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced that Jonathon O’Neill has been appointed associate head coach of the Whitecaps FC Saskatchewan Academy Centre.

O’Neill will work with Saskatchewan associate head coach Bryce Chapman, with a focus on growing the club’s Saskatoon and Regina academy programs.

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“We’re pleased to welcome Jonathon as part of our continued investment in our partnership with the Saskatchewan Soccer Association,” said Marinos Papageorgopolous, Whitecaps FC Academy Centre director and head coach. “We look forward to Jonathon integrating into the community as we continue to work together with local partners to grow the sport in the region.”

Prior to joining Whitecaps FC, O’Neill had been a grassroots coach for the Irish Football Association since 2010. The Northern Ireland native was also previously head coach of Northern Ireland Football League Championship side Knockbreda FC’s U-20 team, and of Belfast’s St. Mary’s FC U-19 team. O’Neill is a UEFA B License coach.

In addition to O’Neill, Whitecaps FC have also welcomed Huw Morris to help run the Girls Prospects and Pre-Prospects programs. The native of Swansea, Wales moved to Saskatoon in 1976 and is a member of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, while also receiving the 2016 Canadian Soccer Award of Merit in recognition for outstanding contributions to the sport of soccer in Canada at the local, provincial, and national levels. Morris, a Canada Soccer A License coach, is currently the director of coaching and player development with Saskatoon United Soccer Club, technical director of the Northwest Territories, and is involved with the national Regional EXCEL (REX) program.

Saskatoon programs for the spring include Pre-Prospects, Girls Prospects, and Goalkeepers, while Regina will hold a Pre-Prospects program. For more information on Saskatchewan programs, please visit whitecapsfc.com/saskatoon or whitecapsfc.com/regina.