Pacific FC drafts T-Birds with first three picks
It won’t be too big a leap to pro soccer with Pacific FC for Thomas Gardner. He has already been there and done that in three seasons with Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, the main farm team for the Major League Soccer club.
Pacific FC made UBC Thunderbirds midfielder Gardner their first round selection, sixth overall, Tuesday in the Canadian Premier League U Sports draft.
“I am super excited that I’ll be playing for the closest CPL team,” the native of North Vancouver said.
Pacific FC, which will play at a revamped Westhills Stadium in Langford as one of seven charter members of the CPL beginning in the spring, has to be happy to have landed a ready-made pro in Gardner.
Gardner made the Whitecaps FC 2 at the tender age of 17 and played 42 games for the team. He decided he didn’t want to leave his home province when the Whitecaps shifted their United Soccer League farm team to Fresno, California, this season.
“I’ve been through the [pro] experience: No one is looking to stay in the USL, but to push out to Europe or the MLS,” said Gardner, who also played U-15 and U-17 for Canada.
Gardner was the prize recruit for UBC this year. The 20-year-old became the first player in conference history to be named both Canada West rookie of the year and Canada West MVP in the same season.
He scored six goals in 12 games, including three game winners, in leading the Thunderbirds to the conference crown. He was also named U Sports national rookie of the year. “The pace in U Sports was slower than in the USL and individual players can make more of an impact in university soccer,” Gardner said.
Pacific FC looks to have found a young sparkplug who can make things happen on the pitch.
“I’m a box-to-box midfielder. I like to get on the ball and pass it and make everybody around me better,” said Gardner.
Gardner was also a rep hockey player but chose soccer. “I was not growing too much — I am still slight at five-foot-nine and 150 pounds — and I liked soccer more than hockey,” he said.
Gardner joined the Whitecaps Residency program as a nine-year-old in 2007 and worked his way up to ’Caps FC 2.
Pacific FC assistant coach James Merriman spent seven years coaching in the Whitecaps Residency program and is familiar with Gardner.
“I think he’s the best player in U Sports because of his technical ability and his intelligence,” Merriman said.
“He is able to come out of difficult situations under control and composed. [Gardner] already knows where he wants to go next before he receives it. He shows high intelligence that’s complemented by his technical ability. I see a lot of potential in him.”
The dream for Gardner is still pro soccer, which is the chance the CPL aims to give to aspiring Canadian players. “It’s a really good opportunity,” Gardner said.
Cavalry FC of Calgary made striker Gabriel Bitar of the Carleton Ravens the first overall selection in the CPL U Sports draft, which was conducted in Vancouver.
York University Lions midfielder Dylan Carreiro went second to Valour FC of Winnipeg and Jace Kotsopoulus of the Guelph Gryphons third to Forge FC of Hamilton.
York 9 FC, based in the Greater Toronto Area, selected York University defender Daniel Gogarty fourth while the HFX Wanderers of Halifax chose Peter Schaale of the Cape Breton Capers fifth. Schaale played last summer for the Victoria Highlanders of the amateur Premier Development League.
After Pacific FC’s selection of Gardner, FC Edmonton closed out the first round by taking University of Alberta Golden Bears goalkeeper Connor James.
The draft order was determined by a random draw.
Pacific FC also took UBC Thunderbirds with their second- and third-round selections, choosing third-year striker Zach Verhoven ninth overall and rookie midfielder Nick Fussell 20th.
“Three Thunderbirds … that’s unbelievable,” said Gardner, of what will be UBC old home week in Pacific FC training camp.
Pacific FC went with what they knew. Merriman, through his Whitecaps program connections, has a good handle on the UBC trio and their capabilities.
“We’re familiar with these players. I’ve worked with them and watched them progress,” he said.
“There were a few other very interesting players in the draft, but we’re happy with the players we got.”
Twenty of the 21 players selected through three rounds are Canadian. The only exception is Schaale, who is from Germany.
No University of Victoria Vikes players were selected.
The U Sports draft was made possible due to a unique CPL-U Sports development contract that will allow players to retain their university eligibility if they appear in CPL training camps or games. Graduating fifth-year U Sports players can sign a standard pro contract.