Except for a flashy pair of fuchsia boots, you could hardly pick out Ben McKendry from a pack of top-flight first team players at a 麻豆传媒映画Whitecaps practice Wednesday morning at UBC Thunderbird Stadium. The 21-year-old homegrown talent fit right in.
If he stood out, it was when he closed on the ball, stripping a defender to break at net. Or when, in the midfield, he disrupted a game of keep-away to gain possession.
鈥淐oming in full-time to this environment now, he鈥檚 fitting in great,鈥� said assistant coach Gordon Forrest. 鈥淲e are very proud to have him back.鈥�
McKendry, this week, became the first homegrown Vancouverite to sign an MLS contract with the Whitecaps.
He joins six other active players on the 鈥楥aps roster who were developed in the club鈥檚 respected residency program, including starting midfielder Russell Teibert from Ontario and Richmond鈥檚 Caleb Clarke. With South African Ethen Sampson who played for the U23 team, the Whitecaps鈥� eight homegrown players (HGP) are the most in the MLS today. Only Dallas has signed more overall 鈥� 13 HGPs to Vancouver鈥檚 12 鈥� but the Texas club joined the league in 1996, 15 seasons before the Whitecaps entered the MLS.
McKendry, who went to Templeton secondary before graduating from Burnaby Central because of his residency training, grew up watching the Whitecaps play in various leagues at Swangard Stadium. He was a ball boy. Now he鈥檒l wear No. 30 for Vancouver.
鈥淚t鈥檚 huge. I鈥檝e seen the evolution of the club over 10 years since I was a kid. I was involved with the club in the youth system, I went away to college and now I鈥檓 back. It鈥檚 a pretty great story and it means a lot to me to be back home,鈥� he said.
McKendry put his education on hold at the University of New Mexico when the 鈥楥aps called. That was his ambition all along. He was in class when he got a called from 麻豆传媒映画and the message was that the club wanted to bring him home.
鈥淚鈥檇 just gone out to class, it was in the evening time and my mom called to say they wanted to offer me an MLS contract,鈥� said the third-year business student. 鈥淢y first reaction was, I knew I shouldn鈥檛 have gone to class today. I was excited.鈥�
The majority of McKendry鈥檚 minutes will likely come from games played in the USL Pro league, which the 鈥楥aps join for the first season and presents a high calibre of play. Home games will be at Thunderbird Stadium.
But the hometown recruit aspires to earn his sport among the best.
鈥淚鈥檒l come to training every day, work hard and when my opportunity comes, I鈥檓 going to take it,鈥� he said.
