Calgary products scooped up in Canadian Premier League U SPORTS Draft
Posted Jan 23, 2022 8:00 am.
Last Updated Jan 23, 2022 10:13 am.
The staff at Calgary Foothills SC is beaming with pride.
Three players who came through its ranks were selected in the recent 2022 Canadian Premier League U SPORTS Draft: Caden Rogozinski, Rees Goertzen, and Markus Kaiser.
“We’re delighted,” Jay Wheeldon, academy director and current U-23 men’s head coach, told CityNews. “Having worked with the players for many years, some of which have been with us since the grassroots days at U-6 and U-8, we are delighted to see their progression.
“All three have had national experience within the Calgary Foothills program. [They’re] great characters and epitomize everything we believe in. They’re competitive, with a winning mentality but also a strong technical base to allow them to flourish at the next level.”
Congratulations to Foothills Academy graduate and former Foothills FC member! What an incredible accomplishment ???????? we are excited to see what Caden does next in his career ⚽️???? https://t.co/U3DWctDybk
— Calgary Foothills Soccer Club (@FoothillsSoccer) January 21, 2022
Rogozinski won’t be going far, selected sixth overall by Cavalry FC.
“He’s a leader, very strong technically and athletically,” Wheeldon offered of the central defender, who suits up as a member of the Mount Royal Cougars on a university level. “He won Nationals with Foothills U-17s in 2019. He’s a good passer, great defender, brave, strong in the air, and he actually scored the winner in the national final when we won it in 2019.
Well done to Markus Kaiser, another Academy graduate and Foothills FC member who has moved up the pathway to pro! ⚽️???? we can’t wait to see him back on field this summer ???????? https://t.co/jpNJpn51n0
— Calgary Foothills Soccer Club (@FoothillsSoccer) January 21, 2022
Joining Rogozinski at Spruce Meadows is Kaiser of UBC, also snagged by Cavalry.
“Markus is a central midfielder and can also play at right-back,” Wheeldon explained. “First and foremost, he’s a brilliant competitor, fantastic engine, great passing range. He’s another one who won nationals with the U-17s in 2019.”
Incredible news for 2000 born Rees Goertzen, another Foothills Academy graduate who has been called up to the next level! ???????? we can’t wait to see where his career takes him ????⚽️ https://t.co/ktCqap6tS1
— Calgary Foothills Soccer Club (@FoothillsSoccer) January 21, 2022
Rounding out the Foothills trio, the University of Victoria’s Goertzen will join the 2021 CPL champion Pacific FC.
“He played for Foothills up until U-15 as a central forward, at the time, and then he went to the Vancouver Whitecaps residency program,” Wheeldon said. “He’s since then adopted into a different position and now plays a centre-back. He’s a ball-playing centre-back, very comfortable with the ball, and he likes to build attacks.”
And this isn’t a one-off for the Calgary club. Victor Loturi, Daniel Kaiser, Elijah Adekugbe and Dominick Zator have jumped from Foothills to the CPL.
“Hopefully, there will be many more to come,” Wheeldon added. “We’re very happy.”
According to the CPL, players picked up in the U SPORTS draft will have a chance at securing a development contract for the upcoming season. It allows a student-athlete with one to four years of U SPORTS eligibility remaining to sign with a team while keeping their eligibility before returning to university competition.
