A 16-year-old soccer player from Langley has been signed this week to a contract with the Whitecaps.
It was announced today (Thursday, April 19) that Whitecaps Football Club signed Simon Colyn to what they call a homegrown player contract, Colyn becoming the third B.C.-born player to join the Vancouver’s MLS roster this season.
“I want to thank all the Whitecaps staff, my coaches at Surrey United and Langley United, and of course my family for helping me get to this point,” said Colyn, , who agreed to a multi-year contract with options through 2022.
“This means a lot to me,” said the attacking midfielder. “I grew up watching the Whitecaps and now I’ve made my steps up the ladder with residency. I know this is only the beginning and I’m very excited to get going and prove myself to the coaches.”
Colyn played with the Langley United Youth Soccer Association and Surrey United Soccer Club before joining the Whitecaps FC residency in 2016. He has since shot up from their U-15 team last year, and spent pre-season with the first team in Hawaii, said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson.
“It’s great to have another local boy come through the system,” Robinson elaborated.
“Simon has done very well with the residency program and showed no fear when he came into the first-team group in preseason. His work ethic and temperament are spot on, and I see something in him that I don’t see in many young players. Simon has earned this opportunity, but this is the first step on the ladder. The hard work starts now.”
Colyn, who turned 16 last month, becomes the 15th youngest player in league history to sign an MLS contract. He joins the first team after participating in their preseason camp this winter, tallying an assist in three substitute appearances.
Weighing in at 145 pounds and standing 5 ft. 9 in., this Langley native is enjoying a successful first season in the US Soccer Development Academy (DA) U-17 and U-19 divisions. Beginning the year with the U-17s, Colyn scored eight goals in 15 appearances and most recently with the U-19s, he’s scored five goals in six appearances.
At the international level, Colyn made his Canadian youth program debut in 2017 at the U-15 identification camp under coach Rob Gale.