With the popularity of MLS increasing, the wave of international soccer stars coming to North America continuing to rise and the advent of the Designated Player rule, what chance does a young Quebec player from the Academy really have to make the big club? Look no further than the four youngsters that have spent time with the big club.
The most notable of the bunch is probably goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who not only spent time training with the first team last season as the Impact played its final year in the second division, but the 17-year-old goalkeeper was invited to join the first team in Guadalajara, Mexico for training camp.
“Crepeau was the starting Canadian National Team goalkeeper who took part in the FIFA U17 World Cup last summer in Mexico,” said Impact U21 head coach and director of the Academy, Philippe Eullaffroy. “He has a professional attitude and has very good technical and physical qualities needed to become a pro.”
Centre-back Karl Ouimette, 19, also took part in the opening two days of the Impact’s training camp at the Marie-Victorin Sports Complex.
“Ouimette spent the last five months of the 2011 NASL season with the Impact. He is very hard on his man, is strong in the box and works very hard. With a little work on his technique; he could be ready to make the jump to the pros as he is mentally prepared.”
In Mexico
Crepeau joined Impact youth alums Mircea Ilcu and Reda Agourram in Mexico, both invited on tryouts with the MLS club. Ilcu started four of 11 games played last season with the pros, totalling 317 minutes, scoring one goal (a game winner) and adding one assist. Fellow striker Agourram, 21, has scored two goals in 30 appearances for the Impact after joining the first team in 2010 from the reserve side.
With four players developed through the Impact reserve system in camp, the future looks bright for the Impact and for soccer in Quebec.
