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Kelowna United Football Club Partners with UBC
Okanagan Junior Heat
We are excited to announce a partnership between Kelowna
United FC and the UBC Okanagan Heat to form the UBC Okanagan
Junior Heat Soccer Program. With the goal of creating a system to
develop the region’s soccer players for high level play, Kelowna
United FC and UBC Okanagan will be working together to help
young players take their game to the next level.
What is the UBC Okanagan Junior Heat Soccer Program?
The UBC Junior Heat Soccer Club will maintain it’s own clear and distinct identity, with
Kelowna United administering and operating the program. KUFC Technical Director and
UBCO Heat Men’s Head Coach Dante Zanatta will oversee the technical aspects of the
program.
The Junior Heat will be “project” based in that players will be selected, train, play exhibition
games and attend showcase tournaments in a segment of approximately 6 to 8 weeks, 3 or
4 times per year. For both boys and girls the program will create teams with selected
players ages U10 to U18 with the U17/U18 age group combined to create college prep
team.
•  The UBC Okanagan Junior Heat training is supplemental to the player’s home club. For
example, a Kelowna United player would remain on their KU team, and also participate
in the UBCO Junior Heat training for the specified project. (Players from anywhere in the
province will have the opportunity to be evaluated for the program).
•  Players would be involved in “project” based segments of approximately 6 to 8 weeks to
work towards showcase tournaments like the Whitecaps Showcase or the Starfire
Showcase in Seattle.
•  Prior to entry into a UBCO Junior Heat project, players will have an evaluation.
•  Training will take place at either the UBCO Nonis Field or at the Kelowna United Valley
First Indoor Training Facility. (All training is in Kelowna).
•  Cost for the player to participate in the UBCO Junior Heat Program will be
approximately $350.00 - $450.00 (+GST) per project segment. This fee includes all
additional academy training costs, exhibition games, bus transportation to tournaments,
hotel and tournament fees.
•  Players can choose to try out for each new project, or only the ones that work with
their other sport schedules.
•  Technical oversight for the program will be provided by KUFC TD and UBCO Heat
Men’s Soccer Head Coach Dante Zanatta, with professional lead coaches for both the
boys and girls programs.
I want to play! What are the next steps?
Timeline for information, evaluations and start dates:
•  Parent and Player information session: To be held at the University of British Columbia –
Okanagan campus. The information session will include program objectives, costs, as well
as the 2015/ 2016 plan for training and projects. (Mid – May date to be announced soon).
•  Player evaluations and selections to be completed in July.
•  First 8 week segment and project to begin in the fall of 2015, with training to begin in
late August.
Stay tuned for more information on this exciting initiative for soccer in the Okanagan Valley!
For questions and enquiries, please contact: [email protected]