Athletic excellence recognized in young soccer stars

February 19, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte

Three Aurora soccer players have taken the next step towards reaching their dreams on the pitch.

Soumaya, Courtney, and Olivia, all part of the 2001 Ontario Player Development League (OPDL) program, are part of a final cut of 22 players to join the Ontario Regional Excellence Program (REX) to continue to build and hone their skills.

“The AYSC could not be more proud,” said Technical Director Dave Diplacido. “This is a true testament to our commitment here at the club to player development. This accomplishment by our players and the OPDL coaching staff is just the beginning and we are excited to see them get to the next level.”

Tailored for players from the U-13 level up to the U-18s, the Ontario REX program is hailed as a “high-performance development program” for players that have the potential to reach the national level athletically.

With the Women’s World Cup and Pan-American Games happening in Toronto in 2015, the Ontario REX program is anticipating some of their athletes joining the Canadian rosters for the prestigious tournaments.

The AYSC became one of eighteen clubs licensed for the inaugural OPDL season in 2013, with four teams in the league for the 2014/2015 season playing games as far west as London and east as Ottawa.

The 2015 pre-season has now started, with the outdoor season set to begin again Mid-May.

For more information about the league, visit www.aysc.ca.